Yue's Sister
by trysomethingnew
Summary: Just a backstory to a character I made up in my spare time, a few chapters I thought worked. The character is being entered in another fanfiction, so far nicknamed "Book Four" Review with questions if you want information on that fanfic.
1. Sixteen Years Ago

She was born just after Yue. In fact they were twins, though no one really expected her to survive after what had happened to her older sister. That full-moon night when her father had rushed Yue to the Spirit Oasis, her mother was torn apart in body and mind, weakened from birth, and it was only by pure luck that a nurse realised that there was still another baby to be delivered. But her mother was exhausted, and grieving over her first born daughter who she was sure had died. She had neither the strength nor the will to push the second baby through, and it seemed like she would lose two children that night. The nurse was a skilled healer and water bender, who knew if she didn't act quickly, her lady would die along with her unborn child. In an instant of epiphany, the nurse used her bending on the woman's body, actually using blood bending to move the muscles into the contractions needed for the girl's mother to push her out. Immediately after the baby was born, her mother finally passed out from the exhaustion of the whole ordeal.

Unfortunately, though the nurse had saved the lives of both child and mother, she knew she had committed a terrible sin against all water benders. Blood bending had been realized by the healers of the Northern water tribe and found dangerous, so it had been banned for the last hundred years. Since then, many superstitions had arisen about the affects of blood bending, and it was said that any person who had their blood bended by an evil water bender would be forever cursed and bring bad luck wherever they went.

Even as a princess of the Northern Water tribe, the girl would be considered a horrible omen, and most likely put to death, along with the nurse for cursing the child and her mother. Fear filled the young woman's heart, but her mind remained clear. She quickly cleaned the blood and birth water from the scene, as well as the screaming baby, which she put to sleep with a bit of medicine on her finger. She bundled the sleeping child in heavy blankets and tucked the bundle in a large skin bag she used for her medicines. She took the bag and the bucket she'd cleared the refuse into, and walked away from the scene, quickly finding a lower ranked healer and leaving orders to watch over the princess until her husband returned with her daughter.

"Where are you going? What's in the bucket?" The healer asked, suspicious.

The nurse—whose name was Hanna—put on her saddest face, "there was another child—a twin girl who was still born. The princess doesn't know that she ever existed, since she was delirious with pain. If Yue lives, then it may be best that she never knows. I am going to bury the body with the rest of the afterbirth to save her some small amount of grief."

"The new princess has been named already?" The woman asked.

Hanna shook her head. "If she lives, they will name her for the spirit that saved her. She is Yue, she is moon."

"I wonder what the other would have been named." The woman wasn't much younger than her senior, but she acted like it. It frayed Hanna's patience to a thread.

"Yagoda, you must go now. I will bury the remains, and you must swear to never tell a soul about this. I want you to succeed me as Head Healer, and you must know when to keep a secret for the safety of others."

Yagoda's eyes widened. "Do you mean it?"

"Yes, yes, now go!" Hanna commanded, and watched as the woman scrambled to do her bidding. If only she could actually see this one become the Head Healer. It was a shame she would not remain to watch her grow and mature.

In the turmoil the entire tribe was going through, no one noticed an old woman flit past the crowd and head down to the docks. Even the guards were back at town square, waiting patiently to see if their future leader would live to see the day they would lead. It was a simple matter for her to bury the bucket nearby and then steal a small boat and leave the city with her medicines, some food, and the newborn baby princess she'd stolen away from the city.

"I will take you to the Earth kingdom." She whispered to the sleeping bundle. "There will be danger from the Fire Nation, but if we stay here, we will both die." Hanna used her water bending to move fast and silent.

The bundle moved once in a while, but Hanna knew what to do. She had a water skin of breast milk from a mother seal. She fed the baby but never stopped moving the boat southward, and after the baby slept again she ate a few bites of the food she'd brought with her. This pattern continued for the rest of the night and most of the next day. By midday on the second day, Hanna had truly exhausted herself and knew she could not move on until she'd gotten some rest. She looked all around her to be sure there were no ships following her, and caught sight of a small island towards the east.

Amazed at her good luck, Hanna pushed herself towards the island at once. Hopefully there was a town on the island, with an inn she could spend the night in. After they rested and refreshed what meagre supplies they had, Hanna would keep going on to Ba Sing Se, where she and the child could be safe.

As if on cue, the moment the boat banked, the baby awoke and began to cry. Hanna fed the girl the last of the seal's milk, but there wasn't enough to fill her. She screamed impatiently, even as Hanna unloaded the boat into what she could carry. She was also out of the medicine that made the child sleep, and the sound was making her head pound. She was almost about to give up, throwing herself into the ocean and beg for a merciful death, when they came; four figures in green robes, with heavy makeup.

"Do you need help? We heard a baby crying." One of the figures called from the other side of the beach. The site of people relieved Hanna so much that she actually fainted right there in the sand, keeping the baby above her so she wouldn't get squished.

When Hanna woke up, it was to the smell of a hot meal and the sounds of a crackling fire. She was laid out on a bed in what looked like a wooden house with a fireplace over which sat a pot of some kind of broth that Hanna had smelt. There was a woman sitting beside the pot, stirring it occasionally, and when Hanna sat up, she looked up and smiled.

"Oh, you're awake, good. Have something to eat. I'm Mako, healer for Kyoshi Island and a member of the Kyoshi Warriors, I was in the group that found you." The woman ladled some broth into a bowl and gave it to Hanna with a spoon. It had some vegetables floating in it and Hanna ate it quickly, not having had a hot meal for days.

Then she realized something. "Where is the child?" She asked, terrified that something may have happened to the princess.

"She is with Suka, another of the Kyoshi Warriors. She also has a newborn, and is able to feed them both with her milk." Mako looked at Hanna curiously. "We were quite curious to see a boat from one of the Water Tribes on our island, let alone a lone woman with a newborn baby. You must have quite a story."

Hanna said nothing, only closed her eyes in relief that the princess was safe.

"The child isn't yours, is she?" Mako asked.

"She was my sisters, she died in childbirth and her father has also left this world." The lie came to Hanna's lips easily. She'd practised it in her mind many times on the trip here.

"Why did you come here?"

This woman was persistent. Hanna decided to tell at least partial truth. "To save the child, I used a form of water bending that is forbidden. I was banished, and the child was sentenced to die. The night before I was to leave, I took her and escaped in a small boat, I hoped to take her somewhere safe from the Fire Nation, and safe from my people."

The other woman dipped her head. "You and your sister must have been close, for you to care for her daughter so."

"There was no saving her, but as long as the child lives, then all was not for nothing." Hanna stood, feeling her strength return after the rest and food. "Her name is Yuri, after her mother, and I would like to see her."

Mako nodded and led Hanna out of the small house across a dirt road to another one just like it. The woman knocked on the door and a middle-aged man answered it. "Mako, it's good to see you. Are you here to see Suka?"

The woman smiled. "Yes and no." She gestured to Hanna. "This is Hanna, we're here to see Yuri, Hanna's niece, who Suka's been taking care of."

The man stepped aside and let the two in. "I'm Daru, Suka's husband." He said. Off to the side was a large central room, with the same large fireplace and bed off to one side. Beside the bed was a wooden cradle, and beside that on a rocking chair a woman who looked about Hanna's age, almost too old to have a newborn child. Inside the cradle were two babies, both bundled warmly and sleeping peacefully, and both with fuzzy patches of dark hair on their heads.

"Your daughter is quite well behaved, and very beautiful." The woman said. "I am Suka, and there is my daughter Suki.

Hanna smiled and introduced herself. "I'm afraid Yuri is not my child. She was born of my sister, now deceased."

Suka bowed her head. "I'm sorry for your loss. I hope that Yuri will grow up strong under your care."

Hanna bowed her head back. "Thank you." She changed the subject. "Suki is also a very beautiful child. Her hair may be dark now, but it will lighten to a reddish brown like autumn's leaves, like you."

Suka blushed heavily. "You think so?" She asked.

"I was a healer back in my tribe. Mostly I delivered babies, and I could always tell what they would look like when they were older."

Hanna pulled up a chair next to Suka and they talked for hours, about babies, about growing up as girls, about Daru, and about the man Hanna would have married when she was young, though he'd died in a boating accident. The two became close friends, and Suka asked Hanna if she would be staying on Kyoshi Island.

"I have been thinking about it. I wonder if there is a space of land where I could build a house for Yuri and I, just outside the village. I would need the space to practise my bending, and so would Yuri, once she's old enough." Hanna's eyes got a faraway look in them.

"Was Yuri's mother a bender?" Suka asked. "Is that how you know she'll be one?"

Hanna smiled knowingly. "No, but these things sometimes skip a generation. I can feel the power in her, her chi is saturated in it, and flows through her like a river, as young as she is. She will be a great bender, and not be held down by the traditions and restrictions of her homeland."


	2. Best Friends

"Happy birthday Suki!" The group of girls called out. Yuri grinned as she watched her best friend blush under all the attention.

They all sat outside around a large table brought out just for this occasion. Hanna had just brought out the dinner, and Yuri helped her aunt serve the food, starting with Suki.

"Thank you again for letting us have the party here Hanna." Suki said.

The old woman just smiled and replied. "It's not a problem Suki, it's not like there's enough room for all of your friends in any place in the village."

"Except the Training building." One of the girls piped up. "Now that you're sixteen Suki, you can finally be a Kyoshi Warrior leader."

Suki smiled, but said calmly. "I don't know if I'm the best for the role of leader, but I will try not to let you down." The rest of the girls cheered, except for Yuri, who sat down silently and began to eat.

Suki turned to the girl and whispered. "I know you didn't want to train, but it's not to late Yuri, you can become a Kyoshi Warrior too." Her eyes were hopeful, but the brunette shook her head.

"I'm sorry Suki, but I will not fight. I can't," Then she said louder to her aunt; "May I be excused for a moment Aunt Hanna?"

When the old woman nodded, Yuri stood and walked quickly to the house. Once inside, she ran to the kitchen, to the bucket of water they used for washing dishes. She sat in front of it and tried to bend it, to move it at all without touching it. It stayed as still as ever, not even a ripple breaking the surface. A mouse suddenly ran across the kitchen floor, startling Yuri. She turned quickly to see it, and when her arm pointed towards it, the mouse stopped, as if frozen in place.

With tears welling up in Yuri's eyes, she moved her hand slightly, and the mouse stood on his back paws. Lifting her hand, the small creature followed lead and began to float an inch off the ground. Suddenly Yuri couldn't stop the tears anymore, and clenched her fist and eyes tightly. She heard a loud _squeak _and a _pop_ as the mouse was forced into a tight ball that broke almost every bone in its body. She slammed her fist into the ground and flinched as she heard the dead body drop.

Yuri wiped her tears quickly, and grabbed a broom. After sweeping the mouse out the back door of the kitchen, the girl washed her hands and checking on Suki's surprise on the counter. It was a special cake that Hanna only made on special occasions, and it was Suki and Yuri's favourite. It sat in a large bowl with a flat bottom, in another bowl filled with ice. The cake was made mostly from cream blended with crushed strawberries, with a crunchy sweet layer on the top—which became the bottom once the cake froze and was flipped over to be cut and served.

"Yuri? Where are you?" Hanna called from the back door. She stopped in the doorway. "Oh," The woman said as she bent over and picked up the dead mouse.

"No matter what I try, I can't bend water. And then it turns out I have this power, this _curse_. What kind of monster has such a power that can only hurt others? I can't even make ice, but I can make the muscles move and tighten until they pop and break bones." Yuri's eyes were overflowing with tears. "What's wrong with me?" She buried her face in her hands, falling to her knees in despair.

"I'll be right back, why don't you set up a game?" The two heard Suki say from the back. Yuri wiped her eyes quickly and started to stand, but Suki got there first.

"Oh Yuri," the girl threw her arms around her best friend. "I'm here, I'm so sorry I brought up fighting, I didn't want you to be hurt."

Yuri Hugged her friend back, her tears disappearing in the comfort of her only friend, the only girl who knew the secret of her cursed power. "No, I'm sorry for being so selfish on your birthday. Today's about you Suki, and tomorrow, you'll be the Kyoshi Warrior's leader, I know you'll be great."

The girls stood up, and then hugged again. When they let go, Suki saw the cake on the counter. Her eyes went wide. "Is that…?" She asked

Yuri blushed. "Umm, surprise?" She said. "Hanna made it, but I picked the strawberries and milked the kanga-cow for the cream myself.

Suki smiled big. "You two are the sweetest in the world."

"It's just about ready too." Hanna said. "I'll be out in a minute, you girls go and enjoy the party."

The girls nodded and left. Yuri didn't really get along with the other girls in the village, especially Suki's friends, who were all Kyoshi Warriors like her. They'd dug a shallow trench in the ground to form a circle, and were using it as a training ring, taking turns trying to knock each other out of the boundary. Suki joined in, while Yuri sat on a log, watching quietly.

"Why don't you join us?" One of the girls asked Yuri. She was a new member of the Kyoshi warriors, younger than Suki and Yuri. She didn't know why the girl wasn't a member herself, she assumed the other girls shunned her because of her heritage.

"I don't fight." Yuri said simply. _And if you knew why, you wouldn't let me join. You'd all hate me, instead of just ignoring me, you'd chase me out._

She was used to being alone when Suki was training with her other friends. She missed the days when they were little, and the whole world seemed to be made up of only these two girls, whose birthdays were only two days apart. Best friends since they were newborns, best friends till the end, they always said. Yuri watched as Suki knocked down a girl a year her senior and as everybody laughed—even the girl who got knocked down—she wondered if that could still be true. Suki belonged to a different world now, and Yuri was stuck here, helping her Aunt take care of the vegetable garden and the chicken-ducks and the kanga-cow.

After the cake was served and the other girls left, saying thank you to Hanna for hosting and awkwardly saying good-bye to Yuri, Suki stayed behind to help tidy up.

"Don't worry about it," Hanna insisted. "You shouldn't have to clean on your birthday Suki. Why don't you and Yuri go inside and play a card game?"

Yuri smiled secretly. "Come on Suki, I have something for you!" She pulled her best friend by the hand into the house, and up the stairs to the attic where she slept. When Suki's father and the other men of the village helped build this house, they made it with two levels, the main level for the kitchen, the main room and a bedroom for Hanna and baby Yuri. When Yuri got old enough to want her own room, Hanna cleared out a space in the attic for a futon on the floor. The old woman still used the space for storage however, and Yuki often brought Suki up to show her some strange old treasure she'd found that Hanna had brought with her from their homeland.

Her favourite was an old necklace made of cloth and a smooth stone with a pattern carved into it. Hanna said that it was made by the man she was supposed to marry when she was very young, but he died soon after the marriage was arranged. Hanna never spoke much of their homeland, just that they had to leave because Hanna had used blood bending to help Yuri's mother give birth, and that was probably why Yuri could only blood bend. That form of bending was forbidden in the Northern Water tribe for causing bad reactions and was seen as a cursed power.

But this time was different. Yuri wasn't bringing Suki up to see one of her aunt's things. "It took me a week to make it and get the carvings right, I hope you like it." She pulled out a small cloth bag from a box beside her futon and held her hand out to Suki.

When Suki put her hand in Yuri's, and the girl dumped the contents of the bag into her hand. Suki pulled the thick chord to her eyes to look at it closely.

"What is it?" Suki asked, entranced. "It's so pretty."

Yuri blushed. "I used the pattern carved on Aunt's necklace to put onto the wooden beads. Then I just braided them into the string so that it'll stay strong and won't fall apart even when you're fighting. It's a bracelet that's been charmed for good luck. I would have bought you something, but I couldn't afford anything nice."

Suki smiled. "This is the best present ever. Thank you Yuri."

They hugged and then talked for another hour, but when Suki said good bye, Yuri felt a kind of finality in it. Like this might be the last time she ever saw Suki. She shook her head, tossing the thought aside. There's no way she wouldn't see Suki again, they were best friends. And tomorrow Yuri was going to the Training building so that she could watch her best friend go through the ceremony that would make her a leader for the village's guardians, the Kyoshi Warriors.


	3. The Unagi

No one but real Kyoshi Warriors were allowed in the Training building during ceremonies, and Yuri had never gone through the initiation and training to become one of this generation's group of women fighters. So her mission to sneak into the ceremony and give her support to Suki was something she was very good at; be ignored. She had an extra uniform from Suki back when the girl had tried to convince Yuri to join with her, and she knew how to apply her makeup like the other girls. The only thing that might sell her out was if someone looked into her blue eyes, and she was so used to looking at the ground with her lids half closed that it wouldn't be too much of a problem.

Yuri made her way into town just before dawn, and snuck behind the training building to change and do her makeup. Her Grandmother thought she was out for the day fishing on the other side of the island.

"As long as you stay away from the southern beach and that nasty serpent, the Unagi, you can stay out all day if you'd like." The old woman said, grinding feed for the chicken-ducks. "We were lucky that we came to the north side of the island all those years ago or that serpent would have eaten us alive."

"I'll be careful Aunt, I promise." Yuri said, grabbing her basket that didn't actually have any fishing supplies in it and heading out the door.

An hour after dawn, the ceremony was about to begin, and girls walked entered in groups of two or three. Yuri slipped in the entrance with a larger group and went straight to the back where she wouldn't be noticed. There she waited, sitting patiently like the rest of the girls—a few she even recognised through the makeup as Suki's friends for the party yesterday—watching the entrance for their new leader.

They didn't have to wait long. Suki walked in not a second late, with all the pride and strength of a tiger-bear. The same proud look in her eyes that they said always stayed in Avatar Kyoshi's. She wasn't dressed any different from any other warrior in the room, nor was her face makeup any different pattern, but already she felt like she stood apart from all of them. _If Suki's above all of the Kyoshi Warriors, how far are our worlds now? Am I about to lose my Suki?_ The thought floated in Yuri's head for a moment, but was blown away like a leaf in the breeze as she filled her eyes with the sight of the girl. Her eyes were wide and staring, and luckily everyone's attention was on the front, or someone might have noticed that the water tribe girl was somewhere she wasn't supposed to be.

Suka was the only person there not a current member of the Kyoshi Warriors, but as a former leader and Suki's mother, she was to announce the assignment of her daughter to this role. She stood in the uniforms of her generation—but without her makeup or any headdress—and held out her hands to Suki, who clasped her mother's hands for a moment, and then let go quickly as the two began an intricate dance with their fans, that even Yuri recognised as more of an impressive fighting technique that the Kyoshi Warriors were famous for.

When the "dance" was finished, Suka and Suki bowed to each other, and then to the group, who instead of clapping, stood up and formed a line in front of Suki. Not a word was spoken as every warrior took turns bowing in one knee in front of their new leader, who bowed her head and allowed them to stand. Yuri stayed in the back but she noticed that Suka was watching the line and she had no choice but to join in right in front of the youngest girl, the one who had tried to befriend her yesterday. She bowed down in front of Suki like she was supposed to, and rose after a moment to leave.

Something tugged at Yuri's mind as she stood and she had an idea. Just as she stood, she turned her face so that Suka wouldn't see, and looked directly into Suki's light brown eyes with her own sky blue ones. Suki's eyes went wide when she realised what Yuri'd done, and the girl smiled and winked before walking away and out of the training building.

Outside the building, the girls were gathered around, giggling and talking to one another, until the last and youngest stepped out, followed by Suki and her mother. Suka herself walked back to her own home, having been satisfied with the ceremony and leaving Suki to begin the training for the day.

The girl cleared her throat. "Let's start with a perimeter inspection of the island. Kyoshi has stayed uninvolved with the Fire Nation so far, but it's up to us to protect the island and make sure it stays that way." Her words were strong and confident. Yuri felt inspired just from hearing her friend's voice. "We'll start with the southern beach. The Unagi is unpredictable and though it provides a good defense from Fire Nation ships part of the time, it's still dangerous and some people still get themselves into trouble on that part of the island."

The four followed Suki, while Yuri held back, hoping to slip away and change back into her usual clothes before anyone noticed they had an extra member. Suddenly, one of the villagers came running towards the group.

"There's a group of intruders on the southern beach!" the man called out. "They came on some sort of animal."

Once again, Suki took charge easily and gracefully. "Kyoshi Warriors, let's go. We'll capture the intruders and question them. If they're Fire Nation, there could be more coming later."

Yuri was swept away with the rest of the group as they ran through the woods towards the beach. She followed making sure she was in the back of the group until they came to a line of trees where they could see what they were up against.

"I've never seen Fire Nation warriors like that before." Whispered one of the girls.

"They could be spies, it looks like two of them are wearing Water Tribe clothes. The South pole is always being raided by the Fire Navy."

_Water Tribe. _Those two words struck Yuri in the heart. Her aunt said they were from the North pole, not the south, but this would still be the closest the girl might ever get to seeing any members of the water tribe. Maybe one of them was a water bender!

"What's that other one doing in the water? It's too cold to be swimming this time of year… Is he riding the elephant-coy?"

"Oh no, the Unagi is coming!"

Yuri watched in horror as the Unagi threatened to gobble up one of the three on the beach, but when the figure came flying towards the beach, she breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Okay, here's the plan." Suki said calmly. "You four go above the trees, capture them and bring them back to the village. You," she pointed at Yuri, who gulped, knowing she was in trouble. "Come with me, we'll head back to the village and prepare to question them. Go now." She ordered the other warriors, and they obeyed silently.

Yuri dropped her head. "I'm sorry Suki," She said. "I just wanted to see you, because after today, you'll always be too busy to spend time with me. I'll get going home now." She started to walk away, but her best friend grabbed her arm.

"Yuri," and for the first time all day, her eyes were back to the kind and friendly shine they'd always been around Yuri. "That was the stupidest, sweetest thing anyone's ever done for me. I promise, you'll always be my best friend," She pulled the glove off of her right hand, revealing the bracelet Yuri had braided for her. "See? I'll never take it off, and I'll never forget about you, okay? Now get going home, before Hanna starts to worry."

Yuri looked shyly at the ground. "I wish I could see them, the Water Tribe people."

"They could be spies, and dangerous. You have to go now, alright? I'll tell you anything you want to know about them later tonight, I promise."

Yuri stood, smiling at her friend. "Come over for dinner, and bring Suka, okay?" She said before running off in the direction of her home, leaving Suki to race her Warriors back to the village.

"You're finally back." Hanna said from the kitchen. "It's almost lunchtime."

Yuri had just enough time to get back to her Aunt's house and change, cleaning her face in the stream that crept behind the house and away from the mountain. "I'm sorry Aunt Hanna, I didn't catch any fish for lunch, it was pretty scarce today." She lied.

There was a hissing noise and the smell of fried fish filled the air. "Really? Because I went out to the northern beach and caught enough fish for lunch, and enough to have Suki and her mother over for dinner." She turned around to face Yuri. "You have some explaining to do."


	4. Finding The TruthBeginning of Change

"I just wanted to be there for Suki." The girl said quietly, "I'm sorry Aunt."

The old woman sighed. "I'm just relieved you weren't hurt. One of the villagers just stopped by and told me that intruders were found on the South beach, they'd gotten past the Unagi but not past the Kyoshi warriors."

"I was at the beach with the Kyoshi warriors!" Yuri said excitedly. "They're Water tibe, one of the girls said they could be spies from a southern tribe raid, but they could be the real thing!"

Hanna looked surprised for a moment, then her face hardened. "I know what you're thinking, and the answer is no."

Yuri was shocked. "But why? They're my people, if they turn out not to be spies, even if they're from the southern tribe--"

"I said no!" The old woman exclaimed. "There is nothing proving that they aren't spies, and if they're from the northern tribe, then they could hurt you! We are fugitives, criminals on the run, sentenced to death by your own—our chief."

"That all happened years ago! I don't expect them to welcome us back with open arms, but I seriously doubt they'd even remember something that happened sixteen years ago!"

"I said no!" Yuri had never seen her Aunt look so angry, and yet there was a hint of great fear in her eyes. "You will stay in the house for the rest of the day, and I will watch you clean the house. This is your punishment for lying, and I won't let you sneak out from under my nose again."

The girl nodded solemnly. She wasn't one to disobey so easily, and did feel rather ashamed of lying to her Aunt; she would take the punishment quietly.

About an hour later Suka stopped by, and told Hanna that the Avatar was on the island. Yuri had been sweeping the kitchen, and listened intently to the two women talk, and almost dropped her broom when she heard the news. _The Avatar is alive._ She thought. _Then that must have been him on the beach. And the others had to be water tribe, they couldn't be spies!_ She began to sweep vigorously, ready to ask her Aunt permission to see the him.

She heard the door close and Hanna called for her. "I want you to come out to the back yard with me. You can finish sweeping later."

Yuri thought this was as good a time as ever, "Aunt, I—"

"I said no before, and I still mean it now. There are more important things to worry about than the two from the southern tribe. You will practise your bending now." Her face was stone, but just behind the hardness there was that same fear in her eyes, but Yuri didn't feel like it was for the same reason as before.

"I can't, I can't do it." Yuri said, resting her broom against the wall. "I can't make a ripple in a bucket, there's no point in trying, I give up."

"I'm not talking about waterbending."

Her eyes went wide. "Aunt, why—how—no." She said defiantly. "I won't do that, not even on another cricket mouse. There is no use to that power except violence."

"You must learn how to fight."

Yuri stood her ground. She had never defied her Aunt in any way before, and the two had never argued before. This was their second argument in one day, and Yuri felt out of place in a conflict where she was standing against conflict.

"Why should I learn how to fight? What reason do I have to learn?"

Hanna sighed. "We live in times of war, Yuri—"

"On an island uninvolved with the war. We are protected by the Unagi and by the Kyoshi warriors. Not only that but the Avatar has returned and will soon defeat the Fire Nation and bring the world to peace."

"There are things you do not understand Yuri. You didn't listen to all that Suka had to say. The Avatar has been frozen in an iceberg for a hundred years. He is only a child, and hasn't even mastered waterbending yet." The woman sighed heavily. "The villagers do not see what he has brought with him, but once the rest of the world finds out—once the Fire Nation finds out—that the Avatar has returned, this was will get harsher than it ever has. We will lose our Kyoshi Warriors."

Yuri couldn't believe what Hanna was saying. "You can't say that they'll be killed?"

"I don't think that they will die in an attack on the island. That's not what I meant when I said we would lose them. You are Suki's best friend; what do you think she will do when she realises that the entire Earth Kingdom is in more danger than ever because of this war?"

The girl thought, and then she felt faint. Leaning against the wall, she mumbled. "She will leave to the mainland, to help the innocent and do everything she can."

"You know her better than she knows herself. She hasn't yet made the decision because she doesn't know of the danger the rest of the world is in. And she stays for you."

"For me?" Yuri asked, confused.

Hanna nodded. "You are her best friend, and the one who she thinks needs protecting most of all. But you have a great power, enough so that even once the Guardians of Kyoshi Island are gone you will be able to protect us all. It has to be you to convince Suki to leave."

"Why? Why do I have to tell her to do something I don't even want her to do?" Tears had started to pour down the girl's cheeks, but she didn't care. "I don't want Suki to leave me, and I don't want to fight! I just want to be a normal girl, I'd even be all right if I couldn't bend at all, instead of having this curse!" She fell to her knees, tears falling in her lap. "Why did it have to be now? Why did it have to be me? Sometimes I wish you had left me to die, instead of saving my life. I know you did it because you loved my mother and you love me but it's so hard sometimes, I don't want to live with this curse any more."

Hanna knelt next to the girl, putting an arm around her comfortingly. "These are times when we all must do things we wish we didn't have to. You are more important than you could imagine, and I think it's about time I told you about your mother." She stood up and held a hand out to Yuri. "Follow me."

The girl followed, sniffing. She had no idea what Hanna was talking about, but the woman had never spoken of Yuri's mother before except to say that she had died. At least this meant Hanna wouldn't force her to bloodbend.

"You will probably hate me for the things I'm about to tell you, you will hate me for lying about so much, and I do not blame you at all for it. I will say that I did what I thought was best for you, so that you would not grow up resenting your people and your mother and father." Hanna led her into the woman's bedroom, a place that had always been off-limits to Yuri, who had never questioned her Aunt's authority.

"A-are they alive, my parents?" Yuri asked shakily, almost fearing the answer.

"Your mother probably died shortly after you were born, she was much too weak to survive, but your father is alive, though he doesn't know you exist." Hanna pulled out a small chest from her dresser, and handed it to Yuri, setting a small key on top of it.

"What do you mean they don't know about me? If my mother was pregnant with me, wouldn't they have expected me being born? What are you trying to say?" The girl's head was swimming, she stared down on the chest, and then opened it cautiously. Inside was an old cloth, navy blue with a silver crescent moon stitched into it with crystal chips that looked like ice.

"That was the blanket you I wrapped you in when you were born. Your mother was too weak to even push after delivering your sister, who was wrapped in one with the same symbol on it. Your father took your sister to be healed for she was very close to death's door. No one was around to even notice you being born except me, and your mother was delirious from grief, thinking she had lost her only daughter."

Yuri said nothing, just stared at Hanna in disbelief. "Aunt—" She finally managed to say, then she was interrupted.

"I must also tell you this; I am not your aunt. Though it is true I loved your mother very much, and I was as close to her as a sister, which I would have been if her brother had not died before we got a chance to be married. But when you were born, I was only the head healer of our tribe, assisting the Chief's wife as she gave birth to the Princesses, Yue, named for the moon spirit that saved her life, and Yuri, named for the princess' mother, who had passed away."

"I-I'm a princess?" Yuri shook her head. "I have a sister?" She knew repeating Hanna would do no good, but all the other questions she could have asked weren't making themselves clear enough to be spoken out loud.

"I did what I had to. While you might have been born to royalty, the chief would have had no choice but to sentence your death for the safety of his tribe. Love for you might have swayed him if his wife survived, but you would have been hidden forever in the shadows and shunned for your whole life. You would never have had the chance to marry or make friends like you have here. I do not blame you if you hate me, but know I did what I thought was best for your happiness." Then Hanna stood and left the room, leaving Yuri to think about her words.

The old woman went to the kitchen and worked on finishing the sweeping. A few minutes later Yuri walked in, holding the old blanket in her hands. "So this is the royal symbol of the Water Tribe." She said quietly. "I always said that I never wanted to be different, and it looks like I'm even more different than I thought I was." She looked up at Hanna. "I wish I could hate you for the lies you told me, but I also wish you don't ever think that I resent our life here. You are still my aunt, by blood or marriage or whatever, and you have cared for me and saved me from a life that I would have hated even more than now, because I would have been trapped."

"Yuri, my sweet Yuri." Hanna said gently, as the girl threw herself into her arms, hugging her tightly.

"I love you Aunt Hanna."

When they released each other, Hanna looked into the girl's eyes. "I'm sorry I scared you so badly, but I need you to know that things will not be easy for you from now on. You will need to learn to be stronger than any princess of our people has ever had to be. Your line is one of powerful benders, but the women of your line never learned how to use their power. Women are forbidden from learning how to fight, and the princesses never enter the healing areas for any reason." She held the girls arms firmly. "You may not want to be different, you might not want to be special, but you are incredibly powerful and with great power comes great responsibility."

Hanna noticed that something had changed in the girl's eyes. She could see the potential for her power and strength beginning to open just a crack. Eventually Yuri would be able to control that flood of power that would pour out of her, and when that day came she would do things that no one would ever expect.

"When Suki leaves, I'll be able to take over guarding the Island. And when this war is over, I'm going back to the North Pole to meet my sister."

The woman looked at the sky towards the north. "I can only hope that they do not tear you apart, perhaps Yue can protect you from the wrath of our people."


	5. Sixteenth Bithday

"It just isn't a good time to be turning sixteen, is it?" Hanna said to the girl, who was outside. "Come inside for some breakfast, Suki will be here soon."

Yuri moved through the motions once again. "I don't have the fans and I wouldn't ever fight with them since I'm not a Kyoshi warrior, but I can apply the technique to hand-to-hand combat, and once I get a job in town I can afford a weapon, eventually."

The old woman stepped out to the yard. "It's too bad you don't have a partner to spar with."

"You're too old to learn to fight Hanna, I'd need someone with experience, and I can't risk having a partner when I might end up using blood bending on them." Every thing she said, she said with a straight face and never interrupted her motions. "Suki taught me a few moves, but I already told her why I won't spar with her, and soon she'll be leaving anyways." Yuri went through the first sequence again, a bit faster, but she tripped a bit on the last step, and fell hard on her side.

"Yuri!" Hanna called out and ran to her niece, helping her from the ground. "Are you sure you're not being too hard on yourself?" She asked.

"Just help me walk over to that log. I'll be fine after I rest for a minute." The girl said through her teeth, wincing as she put pressure on her leg.

"I think you twisted your ankle, let me have a look at it."

"I'm fine, I need to keep practising, at this rate I'll be ready to take on one of the village's ten year old boys in about a year."

The woman sighed. "Will you at least eat some breakfast and please let me relieve some of the pain? It's your birthday for heaven's sake!"

Yuri's face fell. "It is, isn't it? You were right, it's an awful time to be turning sixteen."

Hanna tried to cheer the girl up. "And since it's your birthday I'm sending you into town when Suki gets here. She says she wants to introduce you to someone she's been training, and I want you to buy something for yourself." When Yuri's face perked up a bit, the woman said, "not a weapon, you hear me? You're lucky enough to be allowed to see the Avatar, though I made Suki promise to take you around in a Kyoshi uniform, just in case."

Yuri didn't say anything, and her guardian sighed heavily. "I'll bring breakfast to you here, just please don't move until I've had a look at your leg? I can heal a sprain easily enough, and once you eat something I'll let you keep this up until Suki gets here."

The girl sighed, and did as Hanna asked. Since telling the princess about her parentage, she'd had trouble convincing the girl to act like the young lady she was, and Yuri had become obsessed with training. While she refused to practice her bending for fighting, she had been secretly experimenting with it when she knew her Aunt wouldn't notice. Now as Yuri tried to put pressure on her ankle and winced, the girl had an idea. She pulled up the hem of her loose dress, and sure enough, her ankle had swollen to another half its normal size.

"I hope this works," She whispered, and held two fingers to the swollen ankle. Her skin became somewhat translucent, and Yuri could see the water in her blood that had surrounded the sprain, making it swell, as it glowed blue. As she concentrated, the swelling went down almost completely, leaving only the bruise from broken blood vessels on the injury.

Just as she took her fingers off the ankle, grinning with pride at what she'd done, Hanna came out with a bowl and a bucket. One held the girl's breakfast, the other water. "Put your ankle in this ice water to bring the swelling down, and if there happens to be a fracture, I'll heal it myself."

"I don't think that's necessary, Aunt." Yuri held out her bruised ankle to the woman. "I used blood bending to bring the swelling down myself. The bruise will heal in a few hours as long as I don't fall on my ankle again, I should be able to walk without a problem."

As the day wore on, Hanna watched as Yuri practiced the motions, her progress becoming obvious. Despite what the girl had said earlier, and the fact that her ankle was sensitive even while healing at an incredible rate, the woman was sure that very soon she would know exactly what kind of warrior Yuri was capable of being.

It was late afternoon by the time Yuri took another break, and when she did Hanna noticed something important. "Suki hasn't come by yet, I wonder if something happened?"

Yuri looked disdainfully at her simple loose dress, which had developed a hole. "I'll need to buy myself armour like Suki, or at least traveler's clothes, this dress isn't made for this kind of exercise." She muttered to herself.

"Didn't you hear me?" The woman asked, annoyed. "It's not like her not to keep her promises, and today being your birthday, she should be here."

"I heard you, but I bet Suki's fine. Dealing with some Kyoshi Warrior matter or other, it probably slipped her mind." She looked down at her feet. "And some proper boots too, these sandals aren't practical at all."

"Yuri of the Water Tribe, look me in the eye right now!" Hanna demanded. The girl obeyed with a look of surprise on her face.

"Now," the woman continued more calmly once she was sure she had Yuri's attention. "You and I both know pretending that Suki doesn't care for you any more isn't making it easier to forget her, and that the chances of her actually forgetting your birthday for something trivial are slim and none. So I want you to prepare yourself in that Kyoshi Warrior garb you have still hiding in your closet, and head into town to find out what the hell is going on."

"Y-yes Aunt." Yuri stuttered, and rushed into the house to do as she was told. _Hanna sure is angry, and I don't blame her. _The girl thought as she tied the knots to hold her headdress in place. _I've been acting so off from normal, even though I haven't been neglecting my chores, I should be respecting her a bit more. She's no more my servant than I am a princess here on Kyoshi Island, and considering I only found out everything yesterday I'm acting pretty ridiculous._

Checking her ankle to make sure it was healed properly Yuri slipped on the boots that were part of the uniform. It had been hard to find a pair that fit her, since most Kyoshi Warriors had large feet, and Yuri's were almost nonexistent in comparison.

She nodded to her aunt when she opened the front door. "I'll be back in a few hours, maybe you should give me the money you planned to?"

Hanna nodded, and pulled out a small pouch filled with coins. "If you want, it should be enough to buy a good pair of boots that'll fit you better than those, but promise me you won't buy any weapons."

"I promise. I'll buy those another time, but hopefully I'll never need them."

"Also, be careful, I have a bad feeling in these old bones of mine, and I don't think it's from any storm nature brings."

Yuri left without really thinking about the warning, but started to run after the house disappeared behind the trees. The normal beauty she saw in the forest separating her house from the village whipped past Yuri in a blur of dark green. Adrenaline had begun to pulse through her as the girl thought about trouble in the village. Worry for Suki honed the girl's senses and though she tried to push the thought aside, something told her that all was not right for Kyoshi Island. Her suspicions were proved when she approached the far line of houses from the back, and didn't hear a sound in the entire village.

A voice boomed from the direction of the statue of Avatar Kyoshi. "Come out, Avatar! You can't hide from me forever!"

Yuri climbed up to the roof of one of the houses, and quickly skimmed down the row until she saw what was going on. Four great beasts rode into the village, three of them held two soldiers each, and all were wearing Fire Nation armour. The one who had spoken had his own steed, and Yuri guessed he was in command, but though she couldn't get a good look at his face, he sounded rather young, perhaps near her own age.

Still no one moved to comply with the man's wishes, it was as if the village itself had been petrified. When the leader spoke again, the three beasts moved forward, and Yuri felt a shiver down her spine. She moved closer towards the leader, and stopped suddenly when she saw a flash that was the Kyoshi Warriors. She saw them all crawl up to the roofs of homes like she had done, and run along them, knocking the men out of their saddles.

Looking down, Yuri watched as her best friend herself raced straight down the middle of the row, aiming for a head-on attack on the leader. She dodged his first fire-bending attack, and jumped over the second, preparing to land her own blow on his head.

Yuri had to force back a cry when she saw her best friend get knocked out of the air, and when she crashed to the ground the girl prepared to defend Suki with all she had. But another warrior got there first, and deflected the next blast of fire with her fan. Thinking quickly, The girl leapt from her spot, knocking the Leader from his steed like she'd seen the others do.

Yuri had knocked off his helmet when she pinned him, and one look at his face told her he was in fact only a boy of perhaps sixteen. When she saw the scar over his eye, she didn't allow herself to react. As soon as she knew it was safe to, she ran off in the direction of the other fire benders, hoping to get out of there before she was caught somewhere she wasn't.

Another Kyoshi Warrior took her place and the boy was surrounded by Suki and the one who'd saved her. When Yuri turned her back on them, she saw that two of the fire benders had gone missing. She pushed the matter aside and guessed that they had gotten knocked out somewhere or had run off. Part of her wanted to help the others fight the rest of the fire benders, but when Yuri saw something gliding above her in the air, she looked up from her hiding place to catch her first glimpse of the Avatar.

"He's so young," She whispered to herself, and the look of despair on his face made Yuri want to weep. She followed his gaze to the wooden Kyoshi statue, and a tear escaped her eyes as she watched it burn.

"There's no time to say goodbye." Suki's voice came from just behind her, and Yuri turned around to watch her converse with the Kyoshi Warrior who'd saved her. But she wasn't a Kyoshi warrior, because in fact, _she _wasn't a _she._

Then the boy spoke and Yuri knew that she was right in guessing he was male. "I treated you like a girl when I should've treated you like a warrior."

_Could this be the boy from the water tribe Suki told me about yesterday? She never told me she was going to train him. It's never been done before, training a boy in the Kyoshi fighting style. But from what I saw, he's not bad. _Yuri was awed by the scene before her, and then realised that Suki had offered to Train her, even though it was taboo to have a foreigner become a Kyoshi Warrior. Suki was someone who believed that everyone should have equal rights, no matter where they came from.

Yuri didn't stick around to see what was going to happen next. The village was burning, and she knew only one person who could help put the fires out before the whole place was nothing but ash.

She burst through the trees to the front yard of the house and didn't slow as she approached the front door. "Aunt! The village is burning, there was an attack by the Fire Nation, looking for the Avatar! We headed them off, but we need help to drench the fires!" She called out loudly, fighting back tears as she remembered the Statue burning. "We can use the ostrich horse to get you there fast. Aunt, where are you?"

Her calls became desperate as Yuri went inside the house, looking from room to room, not finding Hanna in any of them. When she reached the kitchen, and smelt smoke coming from the backyard. "No," the girl gasped and ran outside.

The log that Yuri had sat on whenever she took a break from training was now a smouldering lump of charcoal, water puddles around it. At that moment, she saw the blood. It mixed with the water in puddles all over the yard, and though she was terrified, Yuri followed the trail to the far end of the yard.

"Yuri," Hanna croaked from the ground. "They came, they were looking for the Avatar, I-I tried t-to fight them… off…" The smell of burnt flesh made Yuri feel sick, and looking at her guardian's wrists, and the stumps where her hands should have been, made it worse. There was blood all over the woman's dress, and the girl gasped in horror as she saw the knife plunged into her chest.

"I don't have much… time." She gasped, "I need you to promise me you'll take care of the village, okay Yuri? You're a princess, be noble and brave."

"No, Aunt, I can heal you, I can use blood-bending, I can—" Yuri was interrupted by a sound that might have been a chuckle.

"I am beyond healing, Yuri. Just promise me you'll take care of yourself, all right? I couldn't fight them off, but you will be strong and brave, my beautiful… Princess Yuri." The water bender's last words were so quiet that Yuri had to lean in to hear them. All she could do is stare as the light faded from Hanna's eyes, as she passed on.

As Yuri watched the only family she had ever known die, grief took hold in her heart, and then gave way to anger. As tears spilled from her with no intention of stopping, the girl stood and staring at the ground—at the small puddles of blood around her and the pool of it all around the body of Hanna—she lifted her hands. Every drop floated up from the ground, every drop that had soaked into her Aunt's clothes and her own when she'd leant in to listen to Hanna's last words, and as Yuri cried, she pulled the blood together into the form of a man, and froze it.

Using only her bending, she carved the iced blood into the form, moving bits around until it wore Fire Nation Armour, subtract the helmet. The head and face she carved to look like the Leader of the army, complete with the huge scar over his left eye. This was completed in a matter of seconds, and when she was finished, her energy hadn't been drained even a quarter, as her anger supplied her with more power she could handle. The tears had dried on Yuri's face as she glared at the statue of frozen blood.

Retrieving the knife from the body only a foot away, the girl stood before the form once more. She held it like an expert, as the dagger somehow felt like it was a part of her, and extension of her hand. In one deft movement, Yuri cut a line in her hand.

"I promise you this, Hanna. I will find this man, and for what he brought to this village, what he brought to our home, he will die. Him and every one of the soldiers he commands." She said calmly and smeared her warm blood on the frozen statue. Then she screwed up her face in rage and plunged the dagger into the man's heart, screaming.

It exploded on impact, sending shards of red ice everywhere. Yuri was thrown backward, and dropped the knife when she hit the ground. It took a moment for her sanity to return to the girl, and when it did realization of her actions threatened to break it again.

She crawled over to Hanna's body, which was clean now from taking the blood out of her clothes. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Yuri cried intensely as she spoke. "I'm so sorry, I should have stayed, I would have been able to protect you, I'm so sorry."

She cried like that for nearly an hour before she felt someone lift her. Yuri didn't even notice who helped her walk back into the house, just that they held her close and lay her on Hanna's bed since it was on the main floor. The person pressed something into Yuri's hand, the one with the cut in it that had already healed by itself. Suddenly the girl was overcome by exhaustion and drifted to sleep, listening to the someone hum the song that Suka used to sing for her daughter and Yuri back when they were small.


	6. One Night Of Normalcy

Six months passed. No word had been breathed of the Kyoshi Warrior's efforts or their whereabouts. Every day Yuri followed the same pattern; chores before preparing breakfast, training before lunch, which usually included using sticks as swords—though Yuri decided she was more comfortable with the shorter duel weapons—and healing every tiny wound she gained with her bloodbending.

Then she worked in Suka's home for five copper pieces doing random chores around the house. Shopping for dinner and listening to all rumours she could hear in the marketplace near the docks, Yuri was always listening for news of the Kyoshi Warriors, and when she didn't get that, she tried to find out about the Northern Water tribe and the Royal family.

There had been an attack on the Northern Tribe about five months ago, which failed thanks to the Avatar. He left with his party shortly afterwards, having need to move on to continue learning the four elements. There was no news on how the Royal family fared.

"That's right, Pirates. They have been under the Fire Nation's thumb for months now, but no one knew it until last night when there was a raid on Kangaroo Island."

Pirates. _The only lowlifes gutsy enough to try to get past the Unagi for a raid on Kyoshi Island_. Yuri kept this in mind as she browsed a stall with luxurious fabrics.

"Do you find something you like, miss?" Said a resounding male voice, smiling warmly, "I have all sorts of fabrics from all around the world, and a few other items of value as well, for those willing to pay."

Yuri looked up, a bit startled since the voice had disturbed her train of thought. What startled her even more was the brilliant blue of his eyes.

"Oh." The young man gasped lightly. He looked her age, maybe a year or two older, with dark skin and shoulder-length black hair pulled into a

"You—" Yuri tried to find her voice, but it failed her. She had never seen another member of the Water tribe up close before. She only had her Aunt and herself that could tell her how they looked. Even the boy she'd caught a glimpse of six months ago had been covered with makeup and he features marred. This young man was the first male of her kind she'd ever seen. Needless to say, Yuri was rather speechless.

Apparently though, the young man was not. He smirked and raised an eyebrow at the girl. "What is a pretty young water tribe girl like you doing on Kyoshi Island?" He asked, then held out his hand, as if to take hers. "Name's Setto, Northern Water tribe. You are?"

Yuri was shocked, and suddenly very cautious. Instead of taking the boy's hand, she backed off a step. _"…if they're from the northern tribe, then they could hurt you! We are fugitives, criminals on the run, sentenced to death by your own—our chief." _Yuri remembered her Aunt's words well, and now she believed them.

"I-I'm sorry." She stuttered. "I have to go—make dinner."

"Setto, I'm back, it's time to close!" Another male voice called from behind the stall, and Yuri didn't take the chance to see the other man, she ran out of there as fast as she could, completely forgetting that she hadn't actually bought anything to cook.

The sun was setting by the time Yuri got home, and only then did she even notice her purse was heavy with coins and her arms as empty as her stomach. The one thing she was full of was conflicted thoughts and feelings. She was right to run, if only she could have slipped away without being noticed at all, then there'd be no doubt the boy wouldn't have questions she couldn't answer.

But what about the questions _he_ could have answered? What if she'd closed the door to some information she'd been trying to gather on the Northern tribe for six whole months? He obviously didn't come here often, or Yuri'd have seen the stall earlier, so what if he never came back?

Yuri looked up at the sunset sky. The moon was rising slowly, full and bright, looking like a berry about to burst. The smooth-looking blue of the sky reminded her of the blanket made of fine silk that was still locked away in a box, along with her aunt's old betrothal necklace. Nothing had been moved in that room since her Aunt had died on Yuri's sixteenth birthday, except that the sheets had been stripped from when Suki had found her crying in the backyard and brought her into the house.

Suki had left the next day, after making sure Yuri was safe, and after much prodding from her best friend. Remembering that conversation, the girl looked down at the bracelet on her wrist, from which dangled tiny fan-shaped wooden charms. They were a present from her best friend, someone who was out in the world, trying to help in any way she could.

And what was Yuri doing? Training every day, without anything like real weapons, listening to rumours at the marketplace, and running away from people who could give her real answers about what had happened at the North Pole. She felt like she was failing her promise to Hanna to protect the village. Of course there was nothing to protect it from at the moment, but she was hardly prepared to do so if there _were_ any danger. Her head was beginning to ache, trying to put all these thoughts into their own little categories was too much. She missed the time when all she had to worry about was getting her chores done on time and not letting people find out about her bloodbending. She sighed and started heading into the house

"Hey!" Yelled a voice from behind her. "Hey, girl!" Yuri turned around to see the same boy from the market breaking through the trees that separated her house from the rest of the village, looking rather out of breath.

_Damnit!_ Yuri looked around, but there was no escape, he'd found her home, and there was nothing she could do to stay away from him.

"What do you want?" She asked somewhat bitterly. Her head still hurt and she was too hungry to think about running.

Setto stopped about a foot from her, panting heavily. There was a large basket in his arms, and he seemed to be very careful about not spilling it. "I-I—whew, you're in really good shape, did you know that? Especially for a girl, it's no small hike up here."

"The point of a mountain home is _privacy_." Yuri snapped. "Now tell me why you followed me before I attack you for trespassing." It was a total bluff—she didn't have the energy to fight anybody right now—it was more likely if he didn't leave soon she'd pass out in front of him.

He caught his breath and smiled shyly at her. "I um, noticed you didn't have any food with you when you took off, so I guessed I scared you and you forgot to get anything." Yuri flinched mentally at the truth in his words he continued. "So I started asking around town about you. I found out you live up here alone, so I made some food and brought it up to you."

Yuri was shocked. "You brought food." She said slowly.

Setto nodded. "Yes,"

"All the way here through the forest."

He nodded again, this time with his eyebrows raised.

"What do you want?" Yuri asked simply. She was relieved she wouldn't have to go hungry tonight, since she was a girl with a healthy appetite for all her normal exercise, but at the same time she knew she couldn't just turn him away now.

He looked hurt. "Hey listen, I'm sorry if I'm bothering you, I don't want anything, except maybe a thank you, for bringing you something to eat all the way from my oat at the docks."

Guilt washed over the girl. "I'm sorry," she said, staring at the ground. "I guess I'm just a little cranky from hunger. I cleaned Suka's attic for her today and then had to run all the way home when I—" She stopped, not wanted to admit she'd been running from him, even though he could probably have guessed. She looked up and smiled at the boy politely as she changed the subject. "Anyways, thank you for the meal. I can pay you for your troubles; I have the money in my purse."

"I don't want any money." Setto held out his hand to reject the offer. He smiled shyly again. "I just wanted to apologize for scaring you earlier. And maybe ask if I could eat with you?" he twiddled his thumbs nervously. "I brought enough for two, and um , a blanket and some candles." Yuri thought she could see him blush in the dim light of dusk.

None of what Setto had said or done made any sense to Yuri. Why would this boy want to stay outside to eat with her? Being raised completely around girls, she didn't understand boys at all. She knew the basic differences biologically, and she knew where babies came from and how it happened, but the social patterns and interactions between the sexes were something totally foreign to the girl.

The gurgling of Yuri's stomach interrupted all the questions floating around in her head. _Well, if hat's what he wants for the food, then I'm not about to argue._ She nodded and said, "Okay, I'll eat dinner with you."

Smiling goofily, the boy opened the basket and pulled out a blanket big enough for them both to sit on. This he stretched over the ground flat, and set the basket down on top of it. Next he pulled out two cups with thick white candles inside, lighting them with a pack of matches he had in one of his pockets.

"I have some strawberry wine inside, and some glasses." Yuri volunteered. "I'll go grab them while you finish here." She walked away, feeling awkward at watching him work, his face all serious and concentrating.

Yuri didn't know how to make the bittersweet wine from fermented berries, it was a secret Hanna had taken with her when she died, but there were a couple of bottles in storage for special occasions, and the girl thought this might as well be considered one, since she hadn't had anyone to dinner since Suki left. She blew the dust off of a bottle and had to search around the kitchen for a corkscrew and the right glasses.

"Hey I hope you're okay with tumblers, I couldn't find any wineglasses anywhere." She said as she walked up. Then the smell of steamed fish hit her nostrils and Yuri almost fell over, it was so good. Setto was smiling as he opened two containers of the steaming food, and held out his hands to take the wine bottle and the corkscrew.

"I like this a lot better than tea," Yuri admitted, sipping on her glass after the boy poured them out. "especially in the summer when it's already warm, even at night."

Setto smiled. "You know, I still don't even know your name. Do you remember mine or did I spook you too much for you to notice?"

Now it was Yuri's time to blush. "I'm really sorry about that. I was just surprised, and I, um..." She had no idea how to explain her behaviour without giving herself away, so she tried to give him a half-truth. "I've never met another member of the Water tribe before, besides my Aunt, who passed away six months ago."

"I'm sorry to hear about your Aunt. Can I ask what you were doing here with her on the island? My family comes here every summer to trade, but I don't ever remember seeing you here, or any other member of the Water Tribe."

Yuri came up with the lie easily. "We were refugees from the South. My parents were taken away for being benders, but my aunt took me with her when she got away."

"That's awful." Setto said, his head low. "You must have had a very hard life."

Yuri shook her head. "No, not really. I was just a baby when we came here and never knew my parents well. My Aunt took good care of me and I made some very good friends, like Suka, and her daughter Suki."

"Suka, you mentioned her name before. Do you work for her or something?" The boy asked, taking a bite of his fish.

Yuri raised her eyebrows, then quickly finished her bite of fish before saying, "I think I've answered enough of your questions, Setto." She said, smirking at his blush. For some reason she found it really funny. "My name's Yuri, by the way."

He smiled, and something about it made the girl feel like she'd just shared a very intimate secret with him. The sparkle in his blue eyes tugged at something deep within her, and Yuri had no idea what to do with that feeling, so she ate her fish to cover her blush.

They ate in silence for a while, and when they were finished Setto put away the containers and poured more wine. "My parent's won't worry about me, I'm seventeen, and we'll be here for another week or so before heading out again so they know I can take care of myself."

Yuri smiled. "Thank you again for bringing the fish, it was delicious." Then, without knowing what to do with herself, she took a long, deep drink of her wine—it was starting to make her feel warm and giddy, as if all her problems were too far away to care about. She looked up at the sky. "The moon sure is bright tonight." She said, her voice sounding distant.

She heard Setto chuckle. "I don' even think we need the candles." He aid, and she heard him shuffle around a bit, and the _whoosh_ as he blew out both candles and put them off to the side.

Frowning, Yuri noticed it was a bit colder—even with the affects of the wine—without the tiny flames. "We might not need the light, but the warmth was nice." As soon as she said it, she felt him move closer, his warmth emanating. She still shivered—but not with cold. Again there was the feeling she couldn't quite place. She looked into his eyes and the feeling got stronger, so much that Yuri felt she couldn't bear it. She looked away quickly and stared at the moon, feeling the power it gave her as a distraction.

"Am I bothering you?" Setto asked, his tone worried. Yuri force herself not to look at him directly, and she could tell that he was hurt by it, but she was too confused that she didn't know what else to do.

"No, you're not." She insisted. "I'm just not used to being so close to people, since my aunt died and Suki left to help with the war effort, I haven't really been around anybody."

"You mean you've never been close to any boys?" The boy sounded surprised, and Yuri looked to make sure he wasn't making fun of her, but his eyes were sincere, and they still had the same affect on her.

"Why is that so surprising?" She asked, truly curious.

He smiled and blushed. "Maybe because you're so pretty."

Yuri felt her cheeks get hot. Her Aunt had called her beautiful before, but no one else had ever complimented her looks. Everyone always said Suki was pretty, but they never said anything about Yuri, probably because she was so different. "You really think so? I don't know how other Water Tribe girls look so—"

"Yuri." Setto interrupted her. "I don't mean you're pretty for someone from the Water Tribe. I've been all over the world. You're one of the most beautiful girl's I've ever met." Then he brushed his hand over her cheek, sending shivers down her spine. His hand was so warm, Yuri closed her eyes, loving the feel of it. While her eyes were closed, she felt a pressure on her lips that made her open them wide with surprise.

He pulled away, and looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Yuri had to fight with her emotions. _So this is what it's like to be a normal girl._ Her head was swimming from the wine, and her body felt like it wanted to kiss Setto again, in fact do much more than kiss him. The full moon itself was shining down on her, heightening her senses and her emotions. She smiled and leant her face close to the boy, keeping her eyes closed. This time she could feel a warmth in her that didn't come from his body or from the wine. Something overshadowed the moon, but neither of them noticed as the kiss deepened. At least they didn't notice until fat drops of rain started to fall on their cheeks, making them pull back from each other like they were shocked.

"It's raining!" Yuri said, upset. "We'd better get inside, before the blanket gets too wet."

Setto laughed. "Not a problem." He said, and waved his arms rhythmically in the air. Suddenly there was a shield of water above them, pushing the rain aside and away from them. "Now you can grab the blanket, and I'll get the basket." He said, smirking. Yuri obeyed and lead the way into the house, Setto following closely, being sure to keep her under the cover.

The moment the two got inside, Yuri saw the flash out the open door, and heard the thunder. "The storm's right on top of us." She said, frowning. "I think it'd be best if you stayed here the night." All the warm affects she'd been feeling disappeared. Yuri hated thunderstorms.

Setto put a hand on her shoulder, but the girl didn't feel the warmth. "I can sleep on the floor, since I have my blanket I'll be fine." He said. "I can even start a fire, do you have tinder?"

Yuri nodded and silently showed Setto exactly where she stored the tinder and logs to protect them from the elements. When a small fire was crackling in the fireplace, the boy coaxed her to sit with him in front of it.

"When I was little I was out playing with Suki, but her mother called us in when it started to rain. She went inside, but I didn't want to go, so I kept playing. I thought the thunder was exciting, and the lightning pretty then. A bolt hit one of the trees near me, and it started to fall. Suki's dad had been running home and saw me, if he hadn't knocked me out of the way, I would've been crushed." She never took her eyes from the fire as she said it.

Yuri tried to ignore the fact that she was sharing intimate secrets with a complete stranger, also not trying to think of how she'd just met him today and he knew more about her than anyone save two people alive right now. Did normal girls do this often? _And my first kiss… I'd never even thought about it before. Did he want to kiss me all day? Is that why he came by?_ She thought about it, as Setto hugged her around the shoulders, trying to be comforting.

A few hours later, they decided to get some sleep. Yuri insisted that Setto take the bed on the main floor, and that she'd go to her own room in the attic. She was too tired to think of anything after saying he could sleep there, and the minute she got to her own room she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

****

The next morning was bright and warm, the scent of rain heavy in the air, a smell that Yuri loved even if she hated the storm itself. She wiped her eyes and got dressed in a fresh, clean tunic and pair of leggings for her morning training before heading downstairs. She expected Setto to still be asleep so she was surprised to see him waiting at the bottom of the stairs for her. She was even more surprised to see the grim look on his face, and the small box in his hands—her aunt's chest. It was open and inside she could clearly see the baby blanket and the betrothal necklace placed on top of it.

"What is a refugee from the South pole doing with a betrothal necklace from the North pole, and not just that, but a birthing blanket with the crest of the Northern Tribe's _Royal family_?" He said, pressing his lips together until they were a thin line.

"You went through my things?" She asked angrily. "They weren't any of your business!"

"I thought I at least deserved better than to be lied to. Tell me, _who are you_?" He asked, his eyes sharp, and Yuri knew there was no escaping this, the stubborn look in Setto's eyes said it all. He would not leave until he got his answers. I had _one night of being a normal girl. _She thought sadly. _Was it even worth it?_


	7. Second ChanceWill I Marry You?

She kept her voice cold, ignoring the lump in her throat, or the feeling of despair that someone she thought she could be friends with distrusted and hated her so much. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." She said, "So why don't you just assume I'm some horrible criminal and then leave me to my loneliness, banished from my home?"

Setto looked hurt, which softened Yuri's heart a fraction. "I never said that you were a criminal."

"But you thought it." She said, still angry. "Don't deny it was the first thing you thought when you saw my things and knew I'd lied."

The boy looked at the ground, uncomfortable. "I mean, you're from the Northern tribe and lied about it, I've never seen you on the island before so how can I believe you've been here since you were a baby? Why are you even here in the first place? It doesn't make sense."

_He has a point, if I hadn't been raised with this situation, it would have made no sense to me either. Aunt Hanna _did_ commit a crime to save my life, the life of a princess. And now I was a part of that crime, evidence of a forbidden act. But I am _not_ a criminal!_ Yuri's heart told her she was not evil, and she would not allow anyone to see her as such. She must preserve her pride as a Princess of the Northern Water Tribe. She made her way down the stairs until she was sanding on the last one, still looking down slightly on the boy. This time she held his gaze with all the grace and strength she could muster.

"I'll tell you my story on one condition." She said, her voice no longer cold or angry, but full of power she never knew she had until that moment.

Yuri aw the boy's eyes go wide at the change in her appearance and voice. He gulped once, and then asked in a small voice, "what condition?"

"You don't have to believe my story, if you do you don't even have to agree with the decisions that were made. You do however, have to do me a favour." She kept looking the boy in the eyes to make sure he absorbed every single word.

"Which is?"

"I'll tell you after you hear my story, which will have to wait till after breakfast." She said, letting the power fall from her voice and becoming the young unsure girl she'd always been. "I'm starving."

***

"Hanna had done it to save my life, but six months ago she died in an attack by the Fire Nation looking for the Avatar, who left shortly afterwards. No one else in the village died, so the attack was swept under the rug."

"They didn't particularly care about her since she lived outside the village and was an outsider to begin with." Setto nodded. Then shook his head violently. "I still don't understand it though, she used _bloodbending_ to save your life? I'd heard legends about the practice but I didn't think anyone could actually _do _it."

"It takes a powerful bender and the full moon, sometimes it only takes one of the two if it's powerful enough." Yuri said, sitting back down at the table. "In most cases, anyways." She hadn't told him about her curse. "I'm more surprised you're not saying I'm outright crazy for claiming to be the twin sister of Princess Yue."

Suddenly Setto stiffened. His whole body seemed rigid and his eyes had a twinge of sadness in them. "I guess I saw it in your face, you look just like her, only with dark hair instead of white. She was also very beautiful."

Yuri was confused. "What do you mean _was_ beautiful? You talk as if she were—"

"—Dead." The boy finished for her, taking a deep breath. "During the attack on the North Pole, one of the Generals tried to kill the mortal form of the Moon spirit."

Nodding impatiently, Yuri said. "I heard about that, I felt it, too." She didn't want to add that she'd had a horrible nightmare that night about chaos and death and a giant water demon that she thought had been a direct result of the danger the moon spirit had been in. "But why would that kill my sister?"

"She gave her life to the moon spirit to save it, just as the spirit had saved her life sixteen years ago." Setto's eyes held the sadness any subject would have when thinking of the death of their heir.

He looked up at Yuri and smiled. "And I guess part of me is hoping that you're telling the truth, and that the royal lineage will continue on after our Chief, once you get married of course."

Yuri took a moment to absorb what she'd just heard. Her sister was dead. There were no heirs to the throne, except a girl who no one knew existed. Even her own parent's didn't know of her existence. "Are my mother and father—I mean, the chief and his wife, are they still alive?" She asked, her throat feeling oddly dry.

Setto nodded. "Though it's common knowledge they won't have any more children. My family are supposed to be going back in a week to attend the announcement of the next heir." His eyes suddenly went wide. "If you were there, the chief wouldn't have to choose an heir outside the royal family!"

"What?" The girl was shocked. "There are about three things wrong with what you've just said, one of them being the fact that _no one knows I exist_. How am I going to convince them I'm their Princess?"

Setto thought about it for a while. "Well, you convinced me pretty well, but I don't think I'm the best Sponsor for your story, so suddenly announcing to the populace would be a bad idea. Maybe we could find a way to talk to the Chief in person, and convince him. I'm sure he holds the same wish to have his own blood as heir."

"Which brings me to point two; why is it so important to have the same family hold leadership?" Yuri asked.

"Tradition, of course." The boy said simply. "The only way to keep order is to protect and preserve our way of life. Our traditions keep us together."

"Which means that even if I were acknowledged as a Princess, I'd have to get married and my husband would become the actual leader, and my children would be the ones carrying on the lineage? That of course, makes point three; Hanna brought me here to _escape _that kind of life, where my husband would be chosen for me and I would never have the chance to find real love." The girl shook her head violently. "No, I won't do it that way."

Setto looked confused. "But isn't that what you were going to ask me? To bring you back so you could speak to your father and become our Princess?"

Again Yuri shook her head. "Not to have my identity revealed. I'm not ready for that yet, I made a promise that I'd stay here until the war was over. I just wanted to go and send my respects to my mother and father, then come back. I never planned on staying, or letting anyone know who I really was."

The boy looked angry again. "Didn't you hear me? The chief is going to name a new heir _next week_. Don't you care about the traditions of your people?"

"Of course I care about my people!" Yuri snapped. "But I've never known my family or my homeland, and I don't even know enough about our traditions to fit in as a mere peasant, let alone make a good Princess! I'm not ready to represent the royal family, and I'm certainly not ready to get married to some stranger chosen by the father I never knew!"

The boy thought about what she'd said, then nodded slowly. "I understand what you mean. My parents want me to marry a girl from the water tribe, but I'm only at the North Pole for a few weeks in the winter, not long enough to get to know any of them, and we never go to the South Pole because there's nothing to trade that we don't already have."

Yuri sighed in relief, then her face became all business. "So I need to get into the city without anyone knowing who I am or even that I'm actually from the North Pole. I also need a reason for being there that isn't suspect either, and you can help me do all of that." This plan had formed halfway during the time she had to herself last night, and now that she might actually have Setto's cooperation, it was quickly falling into place in her mind. Hopefully it wasn't too crazy to work.

The boy looked thoughtful again, and nodded. "All right, since I've already decided your story is true, as insane as it is, I would be honoured to help my princess." He stood up and bowed deeply. "Just tell me what I need to do."

Blushing at the bow, the girl cleared her throat. "First we need to go to you parents and tell them our official story, that I'm a girl who traveled here with my aunt from the South Pole to escape the raids by the Fire Navy. Then you will talk to them privately and tell them of our engagement and your plans to bring me back to acquaint me with the traditions and laws of your people."

A look of shock swam across Setto's face briefly, but was quickly replaced by the knowledge of his duty. He bowed again and said, "If it will help you understand how much your people need you, I will be honoured."

"Have you ever served the Royal family before?" Yuri asked, a bit flustered. "You seem a bit more formal than I would expect of someone who'd never met them personally."

"I was there when the Fire Nation attacked six months ago, as part of an important mission to infiltrate the invading ships. That plan failed, but while we trained and prepared for it, we worked closely with the chief and sometimes Princess Yue."

"That must have been a very dangerous mission, and to survive even though you failed, you must be a very skilled warrior." Yuri said calmly, trying to disguise her uncertainty.

The boy nodded, suddenly looking much older than he was. "We failed from lack of experience with Fire Navy protocol, not for lack of strength and skill."

"Then I will also ask you to be my protection if at any time my identity becomes known or suspected. To be very clear, my life is in your hands."

Setto bowed one more time, "It would be an honour."

"You'll need not to treat me as a princess while we're there, but it will be good for appearances if you seem very protective of me. Obviously the engagement is only a mask, so that we can move about together without turning too many heads. I need to get as close to the royal family as possible before the ceremony, and the sooner we leave, the more time I'll have."


	8. Interrupted

Yuri felt chafed by the closeness of Setto, although it was not because of her inexperience with men, she wasn't comfortable being protected by someone else. She could fight for herself, but that was something she couldn't tell the boy, or any member of the Northern Water Tribe, ever. It kept her thinking as he stepped close behind Setto, who had insisted on covering her front down the forest path into town.

Was this really what she wanted? She was already lying about her heritage to the village and her closest friends, did she want to trade in those secrets for more? Her bending would have been kept a secret anyways, and Yuri admitted to herself she was still a bit frightened of this power. But she'd worked hard to train herself to fight—and she was rather competent. Getting over her fear of fighting had been a big stepping stone for Yuri, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to give that up, especially for a throne she wasn't prepared for, and didn't want. Setto expected her to change her mind and become their Princess, but Yuri knew it was in vain; it wouldn't make any difference if she did return to assume her place, the next chief would be the same man her father was about to choose, only he would have rights through her and the bloodline as her husband.

No, Yuri did not plan to simply become the figurehead wife of the Chief, she had never wanted that. Nor had she before wanted to become a fighter, but he had come to enjoy feeling confident in her fighting. Setto would have to accept that, and hopefully understand when she left him that this was for the best.

Something made Setto pause, and Yuri almost smacked into him in her train of thought. "What's that noise?" He asked curiously, and the girl froze as the sound of a blaring horn entered her ears.

That sound she hadn't heard in almost six months. It was a warning to the village when the Kyoshi Warriors left. It was only supposed to get the village to evacuate women and children, but Yuri had taught herself the sound as a sign that she had to move. Now the village was being attacked, and she didn't know if she was ready; she just knew she had to act.

Pushing Setto roughly out of the way, Yuri didn't even pause to think about getting one of her wooden practice weapons. If the invaders had any real weapons, the wood ones she used would be just as much use as her bare hands anyways. She sped down the path and erupted out into the village, and could see from where she stood the flag on the ship of her opponents—pirates.

"Princess, wait!" Setto shouted, barely catching up to Yuri in time to grab her shoulder. "You can't go and meet them, they could hurt you!" His eyes were full of concern, but she was not who he should be scared for.

Pulling her shoulder away from him, Yuri took a breath. "Your family is down there, their boat is probably being raided at this moment. I will be safe, but you must go to your father now."

"But your highness—" He began.

"I order it. As your princess, I order you to leave me and help your father protect your ship!" Yuri didn't mean to sound as cold as she did, but it worked; Setto grimaced, then bowed quickly and took off past her running towards the docks near the market.

The girl ran in the other direction, straight for the sounds of smashing windows and splintering wood. _These lowlifes will pay for wreaking havoc here._ She thought angrily, her rage driving her over the edge when she heard the scream of a child. Her own hands would be fine for fighting, because Yuri didn't plan on fighting these pirates hand-to-hand any more.

The first victim was simply slammed against a wall, his head lolling backwards for a moment before he slumped, unconscious, to the ground. Power began to flow into Yuri as her anger bubbled in her veins. Her arms dipped and weaved as she ran, nothing could stop her. One Pirate caught her off guard from behind an placed two daggers to her back.

"Hey Missy, you'd better get ready to feel these daggers in your spine if you make any sudden moves, alright?" His hot breath hit her neck and she could smell the stench from where she stood.

Yuri already knew what to do, since it was a technique she'd taught herself without even knowing it—concentrating hard on the pirate's blood, till she could sense it flowing and pumping with every beat of his heart—she snapped her hand shut, clenching it tightly, and smiled slightly as she heard the gurgling gasp and felt the daggers slide harmlessly down her back, though it sliced holes into her tunic. The clatter of the daggers on the ground told Yuri the pirate was dead of a sudden heart attack, having had every blood vessel in it burst open as it bled out in a matter of seconds.

The Village was now empty. Either the pirates had killed everyone or the citizens had been able to escape. The ship wasn't leaving so Yuri had to assume the rest of them were still here, hiding in between houses looting or trying to do what their comrade had just failed to do. There was more splintering and crashing off to her right, and grabbing the twin daggers from the ground, Yuri followed it to find out what had happened.

She turned a corner to find two men fighting; a pirate, and someone else Yuri couldn't recognize. He was tall and muscular, and over his body stretched tight red and black clothes, with a fiery emblem on the shoulder, that was like the Fire Nation symbol with a few variations. His hair was covered by a black hood, and since he was facing Yuri, she could see that the hood covered his face except his mouth. He held out his hands in preparation for battle, but hadn't yet taken out the sword at his waist, or either of the weapons held in cartridges on both arms.

"Fire Nation scum!" The pirate who stood in a fighting stance had his back to Yuri, but she could see the single scimitar in his hand, looking deadly. "You don't pay me, so what reason would I have to heed you? You're as bad as a damn stowaway you hear me?" He spat with contempt at the man's feet.

"Your employers didn't order you to this island to plunder and destroy. Your captain was paid good money to drop me off here while I made my interrogation, and then leave again when I was finished. You will not kill innocent people!"

"You should have thought about these so-called innocent people when you walked into the damn place in that damn getup, with your emblem shouting to the world who you are. That horn blared and what else were we supposed to do? In all the panic we got ourselves some good loot, too bad all them women escaped." Yuri swore she could _hear_ the scum lick his lips, and shuddered. She couldn't wait anymore. Yuri slipped in from behind the pirate and very quietly slit his throat. She felt no remorse as she heard him choke on his own blood, the only thing running through her mind was that he was finally paying for his crimes, a drop of blood for every scream he pulled out of a poor woman or child, every human he had killed. His life was the only payment she could give the spirits of the dead, including her Aunt, for their murders.

_Shing._ Yuri looked up from the bloody body that had slumped to her feet, and saw that the man before her hand pulled out not his sword, but a fan, one with a Fire symbol on the front. For some reason, Yuri's eyes were drawn to something dangling from his hand—a bracelet with wooden beads, into which were carved a symbol that tugged at strings in the girl's memory. When it clicked, Yuri's breath became short, then her rage peaked to an all-time high.

"What are you doing here!" She screamed, drawing her blades up, readying for an attack. "Do not underestimate me, I will kill you if you don't tell me!"

"Normally I would fight you for stealing a kill from me, but I'm not here to spill blood to begin with." The man kept his stance completely defensive, unwilling to move or drop the fan shield while she brandished bloody weapons at him. "Put down your blades, and I will leave, taking these pirates with me. Let me go, and there will be no more bloodshed today."

But the recognition of the bracelet and the knowledge of what it meant had once again pushed Yuri beyond the edge of rational thinking. "Wrong answer." She breathed, and advanced, blades swinging.

He blocked the first blade with the fan shield easily, but barely had time to pull his neck out of the way of the second. She didn't lose her balance when her blade met air, but followed through just as she'd thought she might have to. With a step and twist under the man's arm, she was already sending a third swing towards his torso.

Yuri had counted on this man not to be incompetent, but she had missed one big part of her training—she'd forgotten about firebending. She felt a slicing pain down her back and knew she'd been burned. Turning quickly away from the man, she barely escaped singing her hair. _Damn, I should have put it up and out of the way!_ Yuri cursed herself and once more faced the man, but was knocked backwards and pinned against a wall. She barely saw the darts fly, catching her clothes in loose places, as if pinning her without harming her had been his intention. On dart had come too close however, and Yuri could feel blood pouring down her left side. It soaked through her tunic and pants, and for a moment she was frightened.

Once sense came back to Yuri she remembered she could reverse the flow and heal herself, the man was already walking up close to where she was trapped. With all her concentration on healing herself as quickly as possible, Yuri didn't hear what the man said as he approached, but she could see his golden yellow eyes, and she saw in them something she never expected to see in a firebender's eyes. Compassion and concern mixed with curiousity. _Don't be fooled, he's dangerous. You can use this, if he thinks you're weak, you can use this._ She told herself, and when the darts were pulled out of the wood and he clothes, Yuri slumped forward unto the man's body, feigning weakness.

Keeping the image of Suki's necklace in her mind, the girl allowed him to lift her up supportively, and as soon as she had her arms free she did what only her anger allowed her to control. She held out a hand and touched the man's forehead and knocked him out. "I won't kill you quickly, I promise. I'll know exactly how Suki died before you meet your painful fate." She said the words in a voice she recognised as one she hadn't used in six months. But this time there was no blast that knocked her back to her scared, lonely self. After a moment she calmed, but in the end Yuri still knew what she must do.

Grabbing the body before it fell, Yuri heard voices and the sound of yelling. She ran out of the alley to catch a glimpse of the Pirate ship leaving. The yelling was coming from a crowd, and as Yuri approached she found Setto in the middle of it, being patted on the back and held up.

"Setto!" She called out, and the crowd dissipated as the boy looked at her, his eyes wide with terror. Confused, she followed his gaze down to her tunic and pants, which were still ripped and soaked in blood, even though her injuries had been healed.

"Pri—Yuri!" He shouted back, barely covering what he'd really been about to say. He ran up to her and grabbed her roughly by the shoulders. "What happened! I thought you said you'd be safe!" He demanded. The villagers left, uncomfortable with the drama between these strangers.

Yuri pulled herself out of the boy's grip. "I'm fine, just a couple of scratches." She sighed heavily. "There were a few things I should have told you, but I didn't know how you would react. I need your help to take a body up to my house. He's unconscious and won't wake up for at least an hour, but I need to interrogate him alone."

She didn't explain anything further and simply walked down the alley towards the knocked out firebender. Setto didn't ask questions, but his eyes begged for explanation every time Yuri caught him staring. Still, he obeyed, for some reason that she didn't understand trusting her. They made it to the house in the mountains without anyone seeing them, and Yuri opened a door she almost never used.

"The root cellar's down there. It's cold and dark so I'll set up a chair and some lamps." She said. "Tie him to the chair with his hands behind his back, and when I wake him up you must stay behind him and keep watching his hands, all right? He's a firebender, so if he tries to escape, I need you to knock him out with this." She handed Setto a frying pan, and though she thought he might laugh at it, he nodded dutifully.

"Let's get this done." Yuri said, and began her work. _Well there's nothing to keep you on the island now, if Suki's dead. She's not coming back, you've no ties here anymore._


	9. How Quickly Things Change

When he awoke, the firebender didn't try to escape right away, and Yuri smirked. She didn't give him any signs that Setto was behind, ready with his weapon. Refusing to look at him Yuri simply hoped the boy would stay quite while the firebender was interrogated.

"the ropes that bind you are fireproof and the chair you sit on is metal, so trying to use fire to escape would only be painful and expend too much energy to get past me." She said. "And hen of course, there is the point I made when I knocked you out."

"What? I thought you'd just found him there! You didn't tell me you could fight!" Setto exclaimed and Yuri fought the urge to roll her eyes. _There goes the element of surprise._

"I haven't been training for very long." She said quickly, and turned her eyes back to the man. "But there's something more, and you need to understand what I can do to you if you don't give me _all_ the information I need."

The firebender laughed. "You don't have any devices on you for torturing. You're a girl besides, too young to have learned how to use such things if you did."

"I don't need them. Not when I could force your own hands around your throat to choke you until you could not breathe. Or stop the flow of your blood to any limb so use of it was permanently erased, so I would have the pleasure thereafter of cutting it off and then healing it before you could become weak enough to pass out."

The firebender kept his gaze steady. "Bloodbending. I wonder, how can you do it without the full moon on your side?"

Setto, on the other hand, was horrified. "Wha-what _are_ you?" He stammered, his eyes wide.

"I am vengeance!" Yuri screamed, her face hot with anger. Then she allowed herself to cool and her face to regain its stony appearance. "I am the daughter of the throne to the Northern Water Tribe, the niece of a woman dead by the hands of a banished prince of the Fire Nation, and best friend to the girl whose bracelet was on your fan. You're going to tell me what happened to Suki and the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors, or you will suffer a far greater fate than she ever did. Because I am a bloodbender, and I have no problems using my powers against you Fire Nation scum."

She tore off the manes mask to reveal the rest of his face, and let loose his shoulder-length hair down. Surprise jolted through the girls body when she saw the light, straw-coloured strands stuck to his face from sweat.

"And I'd ask the same of you, Firebender." Yuri sneered. Setto looked about to say something, but when he opened his mouth no sound came out. "We'll start with the basics. Who are you and why did you come to Kyoshi Island with those Pirates?"

For a few seconds, the man simply sat there, looking confused. After a while, he smiled. "Prove to me you're not lying, and I'll tell you everything you want to know."

Yuri was shocked once more by this man. But she refused to let it show, and smiled right back, meeting his gaze evenly. "Do you really want to die here, Firebender? Without family or friends near you, without even the honour of dying in battle? You're not even a prisoner of war, considering Kyoshi is an island separated from the war."

"My name is Kalen. And if you truly are Yuri from the Northern Waer tribe, the blood bender able to kill me with a single movement, I will not die here at your hands."

A shadow of understanding passed over Yuri's eyes, and slowly she lifted a still-bloodied sleeve. Shaking it back, the girl revealed her wrist, and her bracelet that was a birthday gift from Suki.

"Do you know what this is?" She asked slowly, and when Kalen nodded, she closed her eyes, fighting back tears. Finally snapped back from her state of cold fury, Yuri whispered. "Is she alive?" She opened her eyes once more and saw the man nod.

"I believe so." He said comfortingly.

Yuri dropped to her knees on the cold stone floor. "Release him Setto, please."

"B-but—" The boy stammered once more.

"He's no danger to us." She said, and lifted her head. Tears shone in the girl's eyes as she stared at the boy. "I'm sorry, I kept so much from you and still I hoped I would never have to tell you about my curse."

Setto said nothing, but after a moment he pulled a knife from his belt and cut the ropes that bound Kalen. He then stepped in front of Yuri and held out his hand to help her up.

"I swore my fealty to you Princess, and I will stay by your side to protect you, no matter what." Setto said, then smiled slyly. "It makes me breathe easier to know you can also protect yourself if I'm not around, though."

Kalen stood from the chair, rubbing his wrists as if they chafed. "I came to deliver that bracelet to you, Yuri. But you probably already have it in the same place you but my other weapons." He smirked. "You even found my daggers, I'm impressed."

"Please," Yuri begged, once more the polite young girl her Aunt had raised. "Can you tell me where she is? Why do you have the bracelet I gave her when she left the village?"

Kalen's face was sombre as he delivered his news. "Suki and the Kyoshi Warriors were captured and sent to prison in the Fire Nation. Suki, as their leader, was sent to a separate, high security facility called the Boiling Rock. I don't know anything else."

Yuri thought about what she'd heard. _At least she's alive. She must have had Kalen give me the bracelet before they could take it from her. Or else I would have killed him without thinking. _The girl bowed deeply "I apologize for my rash behaviour. I did not know."

The man chuckled. "The girl expected this. She even warned me about the bloodbending, though I didn't expect you to know what to do with it, since she said you weren't the type to practice."

"I use it mostly to heal myself from scratches, and earlier when the dart punctured my side. I know how the blood flows in the body, so I just reversed it." Then she blushed. "I've only used it otherwise once before, and it was exactly like my Aunt described waterbending. Though I only seem to be able to control it when I'm hurt or angry."

This was as much to explain to Kalen as to Setto. Both men were silent as Yuri stared at the ground, feeling both sets of eyes on her.

Slowly, she lifted her head and gestured towards the stairs. "I can make you dinner to make up for the trouble, and if you are injured I can heal you. Just allow me some time to get changed, while you relax and have some tea."

Setto stepped up to make and serve the tea while Yuri changed into something less blood-stained, and even helped her roast the vegetables and some preserved fish. It wasn't much, but Yuri hadn't expected to have visitors, and even less expected to be eating at this house at all for the next month. Knowing Suki was alive, but imprisoned in the Fire Nation complicated things.

"I need time to think about my next move." She announced to Setto after explaining to Kalen the situation she was in. "I know I said I would go with you but I can't leave the village right now. The Earth Kingdom is not doing well in this war, and if the city of Ba Sing Se falls, the Fire Nation's next target will be Kyoshi Island. As long as this Island's guardians are gone, I cannot abandon these people." She turned to the firebender. "I don't know your story Kalen, who you are or how you met Suki, but I'd like to ask you to stay with me and protect this Island from intruders until this war is over."

Kalen had stood and bowed, about to give his answer when Yuri heard a voice shouting her name. It was Suka, running up and looking terrified.

Yuri ran out of the house to meet her. "What's happened? Was there another attack?" She asked, concerned. "I didn't hear an alarm."

"It's—" The woman bent over to catch her breath. "I just heard news from the docks." She gasped once more and tried to steady herself. Suka stood and looked Yuri straight in the eyes and it was the first time the girl had ever seen hopelessness.

"What's happened?" She asked desperately.

"The Earth Kingdom has fallen, and the Avatar is dead."


	10. A Warrior and a Princess

"It can't be true. It _has _to be a mistake." Setto insisted as Yuri sank into a chair, shocked.

"Our last hope." The girl whispered. "We fought when we had to, but we'd been taking for granted that the Avatar would end this war once and for all. I thought—" She shook her head. "I thought we'd only have to fight to hold the Fire Nation back until then, but now…" Gathering her strength and reserve, Yuri stood, her fists balled at her sides. "I won't let my fate be decided by another person anymore." She said.

"What are you talking about?" Kalen asked, "Are you saying you'll fight the Fire Nation Army? That's suicide!"

"Says the Assassin from the Fire Nation." Yuri snapped. "Are you going to try to kill me if I say I will fight?"

The man scoffed. "I don't work for the army. My allegiance lies with the highest bidder, or else with no one. I won't fight you, but what you're talking about is insane."

"And if the Army, or even the Navy, hires you to fight me?" The girl glared at him. "Then would you kill me without a thought, knowing who I am and the power I possess? And what of Suki? Would you kill me, thinking that as long as you told me where she was your conscience is clear?"

"This man knows where my daughter is?" Suka asked, and it took a minute of surprise for Yuri to remember that the old woman was still standing there, listening to Yuri argue with Kalen.

"This man was with her before she was sent to a high security facility in the Fire Nation called Boiling Rock. She is alive, but not for long if this war continues for another year." Yuri said, staring down at her bracelet. "We can't afford to wait until the next Avatar is born. There is too much to lose, and the world is falling apart. Kyoshi Island will be under attack within days, and I will fight on behalf of the Northern Water tribe."

"My Lady, I cannot allow—" Setto began to protest before Yuri silenced him with a look.

She straightened her back and stood as royalty would in the presence of her subjects. "It is my right, as he Heir to the throne, to represent my country in battle."

Suka's jaw dropped open. Setto looked hurt and worried, while Kalen smirked as if amused.

After a moment of thought, Setto sighed and dropped to one knee. "As you wish Princess. If you fight, I shall fight beside you, as my life is given to yours."

Suka shook herself and straightened. "I never suspected—" She stopped herself. "Well, I suppose I am one of the few who can still fight in the village as a Kyoshi Warrior, and if there is someone to fight beside me, I don't see any reason not to."

"You all forget that the Avatar was someone of _unbelievable _strength. You heard ho he saved the Northern Water tribe, right? If the Fire Nation ever attacks us on the same scale as then, there is no way two fighters and one bender can take them alone." Kalen pointed out.

"I'm not just a bender, I can fight, too." Yuri defended. "And Setto is a talented water bender himself. But maybe you're right." She sighed heavily. "We could use help. Maybe someone of powerful fighting _and_ bending skills to—"

"Are you trying to ask me for help?" Kalen asked, smirking. "And how do you intend to pay me? I don't work without pay."

Yuri pursed her lips in thought. After a moment, her eyes burned into Kalen before she turned and left the room. First she grabbed the small bag of coins Hanna had given her on her sixteenth birthday that she never spent, but when she looked at them Yuri realized Kalen would probably laugh at this small offer. Then another idea came and as much as it hurt Yuri, she felt she had no choice.

Carrying the small chest out to the kitchen, Yuri held it out to the man. "These artefacts should be of equal or more value to your usual fee." She said coldly, thrusting it into his hands. Setto looked like he might throw up, but swallowed his rage and nodded when he saw the look in Yuri's eyes.

After perusing the items inside the chest, Kalen nodded solemnly. "This is worth my allegiance until your task is completed, or until you die." He said, pulling the small crystal chips off of the baby blanket. The act made Yuri wonder how much the stones really were worth. The Kalen handed the box back with the silk cloth and her Aunt's necklace.

"I have no use for the necklace." He said simply, and Yuri didn't argue, relieved that she would at least have something left of Hanna.

"Then we will leave in the morning, meet me at Setto's merchant boat just after dawn. Today I want all of you to prepare yourselves for a long journey at sea, and for battle." Yuri said, taking back the chest and heading upstairs to her room.

"Yuri?" The question was unsure, as if Suka no longer knew if she was allowed to address the child whose knees she'd once bandaged by her name. "Where are we going?"

Yuri had gotten halfway up the stairs the stairs, and they framed her body and brought her above her companions when she turned, looking down at them but not down _on _them, she smiled warmly.

"We are going to the North Pole to request the help of my people, and to claim my throne." She said, then addressed Setto. "Setto, if you would meet me at twilight to bring me to your family?" It wasn't quite a demand, but then Yuri still wasn't extremely comfortable giving them.

Once every one had left, Yuri took the chest back up to her room. She sat at the small table in front of a mirror for a long time, staring at her reflection. Was that the face of a princess? Or of a warrior? For all she acted like she knew what she was doing, Yuri still only saw a sixteen year old girl in the mirror, desperately trying to find her place in the world. A girl who was raised by a woman now dead, whose best friend had left home six months ago. A girl who may seem strong and brave and passionate to others, still shook in fear of her own power, her bending and her throne.

Then she remembered why her Aunt was dead, Suki had left, and why she had to reclaim the throne that was her sisters, and her eyes turned feral. Something that had been seen by others around her Yuri finally realized for herself. She had a fire in her soul and spirit that could not be dampened, and she had a goal—revenge—that no one could stand in the way of and survive. And for once, Yuri felt the power flow through her and didn't flinch or shiver.

Looking out her small window at the sun slowly setting, the girl could feel the power the full moon would bring tonight. Tonight she could do things unimaginable to even those who knew what blood bending could do, since it could only be used on the full moon. If she were in the Fire Nation Capital, she would have washed the streets with blood, until she found the man who had led that first attack on Kyoshi Island. The thought should have chilled her, but Yuri simply acknowledged the fact of her power and moved on.

The front door opened loudly, and Yuri called for Setto to come up to her room. She slipped on her aunt's necklace and had just begun to brush her hair when she saw him in the mirror, carrying two bundles covered in paper, the smaller on top.

"What are those?" she asked, an eyebrow raised.

Setto blushed and tried to smile. "They are, um, gifts, from my mother and father. I told them everything except the blood bending. They said they would help."

"And they believed you?"

"They know I don't lie, and they raised me not to be easily fooled."

"I see." Yuri continued to brush her hair, thoughtful.

Setto approached nervously and placed the bundles on the table beside her. "The second bundle is from my parents, the first is from me."

Thinking it only polite to open the second bundle first, she picked it up and pulled the paper aside, revealing the most beautiful cloth she'd ever seen. A full hooded kimono lined with fur and made of the same cloth as her baby blanket, adorned with charms made of the crystal that shone like ice. Soft leggings to wear underneath the kimono, and a hair ornament that looked almost like a crown, made of silver with one round blue jewel embedded in it.

"They are beautiful." She whispered, then looked sad. "But I don't know how to put them on, I can't wear them."

Setto blushed again. "I, uh, I mean—" He breathed in deeply and spoke all in one breath. "Icanhelpyouputthemon."

"Pardon?" Yuri said, surprised.

The boy looked exasperated. "The, the kimonos are difficult to put on by yourself, and a princess shouldn't be doing that anyways. I've helped my mother put hers on, so if you dress in your underwear first, I can help you with the rest."

Yuri suppressed the urge to giggle, feeling a little less nervous because he was already embarrassed about offering help. "All right, if you just wait outside the room, I'll call you when I'm ready."

Bowing low, Setto left the room and shut the door behind him. Yuri figured she could put on the leggings by herself and that would help the boy feel less uncomfortable. She was nervous since she hadn't had anyone help her get dressed since she was a small child. Now a boy was going to help her dress, a boy who had tried to kiss her only yesterday, and had now given his life for her service. "How can everything change in only one day?" She whispered to herself, and then stopped when she caught herself in the mirror.

When Yuri sat at the table to look at her reflection, all she saw was her face, which no longer held the curves of childhood, but still had the eyes of the young girl she had been. For the first time she actually looked at her body from the same angle everyone else had seen it, and her jaw dropped. When had she become such a woman? When had she become so _curvy_? Her breasts had always sat at a comfortable size for her, after her Aunt had taught her how to bind them loosely so they didn't bounce awkwardly, but she hadn't thought about how they looked to other people. And she definitely hadn't thought she'd matured much faster than the other girls in the village her age, even Suki, who looked feminine enough even in her uniform.

Shaking her head to rid herself of the shock, Yuri asked Setto to come in and help her get dressed. The boy did what he said, and nothing more. He didn't fumble nervously or smile lecherously, and the only time he spoke was to ask for her to lift her arms or hair so he could do what needed to be done.

After he was finished with the kimono, he picked up her hairbrush and gestured for Yuri to sit. When she did, he brushed and styled her hair into the ornament, just as if he'd done it a thousand times.

"I used to help my mother with that piece, too." He said in explanation.

Yuri only nodded, trying not to cry. She had never imagined owning such fine things, even after knowing she was a princess. That Setto's mother would give up her things without ever meeting her, that they would fit so perfectly and make her look so beautiful, was something Yuri found so touching it hurt.

Then she looked at the package Setto had brought from himself, and didn't think she could stand to open it. Already he had given her so much, what more could she ask for?

Before she could decide to return it, the boy opened the package for her and held out the belt with twin sheaths. Surprised but nervous, Yuri pulled one of the knife handles to find a slightly curved dagger, the blade made of that ice-looking crystal. A quick look told her the other was the same, a matching pair.

"Kalen told me you were good with twin daggers, and we hadn't found anyone interested in buying these. The crystal s a major export mined from caves in the wilds, though it's difficult to come by, since the tundra's are so dangerous. But it's as strong as steel and not as brittle when it's forged the right way. it melts and melds like glass in the right conditions." Then he smiled. "It's not exactly something that goes with the kimono, but when you fight, you probably won't be wearing that anyways."

"No," Yuri whispered, imagining the blood that would spill when she fought. The blood that she would spill and then use as if it were water to fight. "No, I wouldn't want to ruin this beautiful kimono by fighting."

After a moment Yuri stood and smiled at the boy. "Let's go down to your father's boat now."

"Yes. My mother should have dinner ready by then too, if you haven't eaten already."

Just then the girl's stomach began to growl, the two looked at each other for a moment, then laughed. "Dinner sounds great." Yuri said, and followed Setto out of her room.


	11. Leaving Home Behind for Home

When everyone finally met at the boat at dawn, there were small words of shock and awe at Yuri's appearance, so regal and proper. She smiled at them in turn, but only slightly, as they all bowed and said "Princess." She felt uncomfortable at first, but after the treatment she'd received the night before at Setto's family table, Yuri knew she would have to get used to being gawked at.

Now, sitting in a small room provided for her own privacy and for private conversations, Princess Yuri thought about the journey ahead. The last time she had been on one this distance had been when she was born, in a small dingy floating out to sea. The changes in her life had been drastic, but she was now as she had been then and always would be; a Princess of the Northern Water Tribe. As had been expected, she had made a speech to all who surrounded her, after being assured the men behind Suka would fight with all their strength to defend the island until their return.

Standing tall and proud before the boat, she raised her voice loud enough to echo through the streets, full of not only men and her companions, but their wives and children, all watching her, all expecting something great. For once, Yuri wasn't sure if she could live up to the goals she'd set up for herself.

"Today we set sail for the Northern Water Tribe to request the help of my father, the chief in support of Kyoshi Island." Her throat almost closed up with nerves even as she spoke, but she swallowed and regained her confidence. "His land is safe for now, the Navy being severely damaged after their first attack hasn't the strength to attack there again. But if even half that number shows on this island, without the Kyoshi Warriors, it could be lost. This place has been my home for sixteen years, and I will not see it lay to ruin. I swear to all of you by the royal blood in my veins, we will return with the strength of the Water Tribe!"

The cheers that followed flushed her with pride in her home. Though she was born in the North Pole, she was terrified of the place she'd never lived in. Kyoshi Island was her pride and her life, her history, and held the love of friends and family. Leaving it behind, even temporarily, meant to Yuri leaving behind her childhood for her life as a Princess in a strange land. But Suki had done it, and if her best friend could leave her home to risk her life, Yuri could accept her duty and her destiny.

A knock at her door made Yuri jump out of her skin. She cleared her throat and asked who it was. Without answering, Kalen walked right in.

"Excuse me?" The girl said, slightly irritated at his lack of manners. "I could have been dressing, you know."

Kalen looked at her, smirking. "I knocked, that's all the politeness you're going to get from me, 'princess.' I'm not here to be one of your subjects, like that boy Setto and his family."

"But you **_are_** here under my employ, and you will treat me with respect." Snapped Yuri. "I'm not saying this as a princess, I will not have men bursting into my room without my permission."

Kalen's face was grim. "You will if the ship is attacked in the middle of the night. Dressed or not, if not I or Setto, then it will be men of the Fire Nation, after destroying the rest of us, looking for prisoners."

Fear shot through Yuri as a cold and live thing. She tried to hide the shiver, but the look in the man's eyes told her he saw. "What did you come to talk about Kalen? You didn't come in here just to keep me on my toes."

"You know what is at risk here, other than the lives you hold on this ship."

The girl nodded. "If I'm not accepted as the heir, and the chief doesn't extend help to Kyoshi Island on top of that, I will have to return as the only defence from the North Pole, or else I will return to be shunned for being a fraud and a failure."

"Are you prepared for the consequences of failure?" Kalen asked seriously.

"I am. But I can't let Setto or anyone else believe I'm not sure of myself. Even if I'm shunned from the North Pole, and from my home on Kyoshi Island, I will stay even in exile to defend the village with my life."

The assassin shook his head. "You would defend those who turn on you in hate, for what?"

"For Suki and for Hanna."

"For a woman long dead and a girl in a prison where she might be even now?"

Yuri stood. "I have the right to do as I wish. You have already made it clear that you think my plans are insane, but you are stuck with me in any case." Then her eyes flashed. "And believe that if you betray me, or I see any disloyalty while you are in my employ, I will not hesitate to kill you." With that, she gestured him out the door.

Kalen shrugged, unimpressed by the threat on his life. "Not that I doubt you would do it," He said. "I've seen you kill already, not just with your bending, but with the blades hidden inside your kimono. You've tasted spilt blood, and part of you hungers for it. To kill Fire Nation soldiers, doesn't it?" He bowed then, and walked out.

The girl wasn't surprised by his insight. It had been obvious enough to him her hatred for the Fire Nation that had killed her Aunt and imprisoned Suki, and she had made no attempt at hiding the seething anger always inside her. Lately it had been a living thing inside her, growing and no longer hiding behind her casual demeanour. Ever since fighting the pirates it was a constant companion for Yuri, whispering into her ear.

Part of what it said was directed at Kalen, the rest told her ways to practise her bending even while on the ship. Trying to ignore it only made the voice louder, and hurt her head. So she listened carefully, storing the information as if taking notes, but she didn't plan on using any of it unless it was absolutely necessary.

The long days North towards their destination crept along with restlessness for all, and Setto's family tried to keep moods up with games and music in the evening when chores didn't keep them all busy. Everyone not already equipped with weapons were supplied with wares Setto's father hadn't been able to sell, and the ship was cleaned from top to bottom on the inside every day, and the deck was made to sparkle, just to keep everyone busy. Meals were prepared and extra wares packed and made ready for either storage or more trade later in the year.

"I feel like a housekeeper instead of an assassin." Yuri heard Kalen mumble as her helped her make beds in the other rooms.

The girl had smiled, feeling relieved that she'd been expected to help too. If Setto's mother had insisted she rest, Yuri would have surely gone insane.

Suddenly her smile was wiped off by a sudden lurch of the boat, and shouts above deck. Panicked, Yuri shot up and ran for the deck. The moment she got out the door, Kalen's hand grabbed the back of her dress and pulled her back inside. "Listen!" He hissed into her ear.

She obeyed, only because he held her too close to his body for her to knock him out. After a minute, the shouts above were more clear in their tone, and she realized they had probably run into another merchant ship, or some other friends from the sound of the laughing and cheering above.

"Why doesn't Setto call me above to introduce me?" Yuri whispered, not noticing she'd voiced her thoughts out loud. Then she felt the heat of Kalen's body shift uncomfortably.

"He can't introduce you in your rags, cleaning the beds and try to convince those people you're the princess of the North Pole." He whispered back. "You're going to have to get dressed properly to meet them, if they stay on the ship for dinner. If not, then you'll meet them another time."

Feeling upset and left out, Yuri leaned against the man, pouting slightly. She felt him move again, this time because he was laughing. "Don't worry Yuri, soon enough you'll meet enough people to make your head spin."

The visitors didn't stay for the evening meal, but Yuri heard enough about them to know that their appearance was no danger, and in fact brought good news.

"The heir for the North hasn't been announced yet, and the Chief even seems unsure of his first choice's abilities." Setto said at the table, smiling. "If he's unsure, he might be more persuaded to name you as heir, whether or not you marry."

Yuri felt slightly relieved, but didn't show it, and instead just smiled back. "I am his daughter, I can only hope he isn't too overwhelmed by my appearance to mistake me for my sister. It might make him think he's hallucinating."

"We should be at the North Pole in a couple of days." Said Suka, "and have time to address the Chief in private to avoid public embarrassment on any party."

Yuri was surprised the woman she'd seen as a mother most of her life seemed so interested in the politics of this mission. Suka had always been a mother and wife first, and a warrior second. There was very little intrigue on the island she lived on, and no reason to get involved in it.

Kalen didn't say a word throughout dinner, and left just as silently. Curious, Yuri asked to be excused and followed him down the hallway. She watched him turn a corner but when she got there, he'd disappeared. Deciding he must have gone to the bathroom, she turned back around to find his wide body blocking her way.

"It's not like you to sneak around, **_Princess_**." He sneered, scowling.

Yuri snapped defensively. "And it's too like you to act suspicious around me. What's going on with you tonight? You're being surlier than usual."

"I can't go with you into the Palace." He said simply. "Even if you convince them I'm under your employ, they won't trust any Fire Nation enough to allow me there. And if I stay in town I'll spend the next few times getting into fights because people hate my kind. You shouldn't have brought me here."

"No. I couldn't have left you at Kyoshi Island, and I need you to come with me and Setto so my father knows I am well protected. Otherwise he may assign a stranger to watch me, either as a baby sitter or as a proposed husband. I can't allow that no matter what. If I rule, I rule on my own, without my husband ruling through me."

"You're pretty against marriage." Kalen observed. "Or do you have someone already in mind, and don't want the Chief choosing someone different for your side?"

The girl stared him in the eyes, frustrated that she had to lift her head to do so. "I won't be ruled by a man; I never have been and don't plan to be. And I don't need anyone trying to figure out my plans for my own life."

"I have enjoyed these little talks Yuri. You're much stronger than Suki said you were. She was worried you might not be able to handle the things hanging over you. I'm glad to discover she was wrong." Then the man left, and the footsteps Yuri heard turned out to be Setto, looking for her.

"Princess, are you all right? You left dinner early, and I was worried you were ill."

She smiled warmly at her friend. "I'm fine, I just felt a little restless and in need of a walk. Do you want to join me back to my room? We could play a game for a while."

The boy nodded enthusiastically, and Yuri despaired that he might be falling for her too hard. The disaster that would result in him asking her father for her hand would ruin her. He would of course refuse, and insist on an engagement to a soldier of his choice immediately to discourage any more ridiculous proposals. Still, his loyalty made her feel secure, and as much as Kalen frustrated and made her suspicious, he was the perfect foil for the over-eager service Setto promised.

Over the last two days of their trip, Yuri stayed as close as she could to both Setto and Kalen, silently announcing to everyone that these two were to be her escort to the Palace. Setto's father would bring them into the palace, but it was Setto who would have to procure an audience with the Chief, and Yuri herself who would have to hold his attention.

Kalen was there to show strength and Yuri's ability to gain loyalty from anyone, and he was to announce he had pledged his life to her and would protect her until his last breath if that's what it came down to. It wasn't exactly a lie, and would help convince her father he wasn't with the Fire Nation.

Still, as Yuri stood on the deck, fully dressed in her kimono and her hair done up, she was afraid to see the great walls of the city's entrance. _This is your nation, your city. It is your home, and one day you will rule. There is no way your father can reject you for his own flesh and blood. You have all the evidence you need on your person._ The words she spoke to herself were little comfort, but they kept her strength up as she rode a raft to the palace, listening to the whispers and questions flying all around her. She sat in the back with her two "body guards" in front, looking calm and as regal as possible.

They approached the Palace doors and Setto helped his princess out of the raft, with all the ceremony in the world. He announced himself first, then Kalen—only by name, no title added—"escorting the Princess Yuri of the North Pole!" he finished loudly.

The title given shocked Yuri, since she hadn't told him to mention who she was until they were in the privacy of the Palace. The doors opened however, and Yuri had to swallow her fear and step inside, back between the two men and into the palace she was born in.


	12. Chapter 12 Meet Your Father The End

** LAST CHAPTER!**

"It can't be-"

Setto shook his head. "She's not her sister. We must talk with Yagoda, the healer will help clear things up."

The guard nodded slowly, and rushed to fetch the Head Healer. He hesitated for a moment when he turned a corner, staring at Yuri and shaking his head violently before taking off again.

"You look too much like your sister when you dress in traditional Kimono." Setto said, smiling. Yuri returned the smile weakly; wondering if that was to be the response every time someone looked at her face.

"Are you sure this Yagoda will know about the night you were born?" Kalen said sceptically. "Hanna said your parents themselves don't even know. How could she have kept the secret from your mother and not from another healer?"

Yuri nodded. "Yagoda was the head healer right after Hanna. She told me that much. She also said she'd explained me away as a still-born, so she at least knows I exist, even if she has no idea I was alive. The healer is the key to proving my identity."

They were kept waiting until sunset before they were joined by the soldier and an old woman, as well as a man who looked as old as Suka. He held himself tall and strong, but the second his eyes held her gaze he seemed to shake, and a part of him threatened to snap.

"Explain this to me." The man demanded angrily. "Explain how this girl looks like my daughter and claims to not be Yue returned to life, but her twin sister whom we were told never existed."

Yuri swallowed hard and cleared her throat. "Yagoda, you know of my guardian Hanna. You also know that the night the princess Yue was born, the night my sister was born, you approached Hanna as she slipped through the city with a bucket and her basket of medicines."

"I-I do." The old woman admitted, shaking with fear. "I was told never to tell anyone, that it would hurt the chief's wife too much to know she had lost another child—"

"But I wasn't actually stillborn." Yuri said. "Hanna had done all she could to save me, for the love of my mother and to lessen the blow of Yue's illness. But she had no choice. She used a forbidden technique to save me, and knew that she would be banished and I would be put to death, marked as a curse from the bloodbending witch."

"But then you—" The soldier began.

Yuri interrupted him. "I was raised on the island of Kyoshi, there I met and befriended the members of the village, and there I saw the Avatar and learned of my sister's death. When I met Setto, he told me of the situation here and I decided to come to you, father." It was the first time she addressed the man, let alone as her father. "You may deny me my birthright, deny that I am your daughter, but your wife in heaven knows, and so does the moon spirit, so does Yue."

"How would they know if in life they never knew your existence?" The chief protested. "You are the spitting image of my daughter, with the hair of my late wife, but you are nothing more than a common child, accusing a dead woman with kidnapping to gain a throne!"

Yuri stood her ground, her eyes flashing. "Ask the moon yourself. Ask the spirit who saw in Her full glory the miracle of my birth. Ask Her how I was saved, not kidnapped, by your healer, who died six months ago protecting me from the fire nation on Kyoshi Island."

The chief walked up to Yuri and slapped her. "Insolent child! No daughter of mine would have such a—" There was a sudden _thump_ as he landed on his back on the floor.

"You may be the chief, and whether you choose to believe it or not you _are_ this girls father. But you will not strike the Princess again. I am not in her employ to allow _any_ man to strike her." The firebender said coldly.

Yuri held her hand to her cheek where it blazed red, and felt the sting of tears in her eyes. By now the sky had darkened and the first stars showed in the clear night, but the lanterns around them kept the room illuminated. Setto rushed over to the chief and helped him up as Kalen watched, his arms crossed with contempt.

"You-you are fire nation!" The chief yelled. "She is working with your kind to try and infiltrate my city! I will kill you!" He pulled out a sword, and Kalen followed suit, positioning himself between Yuri and her father.

"The only thing I am is Yuri's bodyguard. I have never been a part of the Fire Nation army or the navy, nor shall I ever be. My loyalty lies with the highest bidder, and I owe this girl my life, so I will use it to protect hers from any threat."

"Including the man she calls her father?"

"Especially that man. You pose the most danger to Yuri, your decision makes her fate. She will be accepted by you, or she will die fighting for the people she loves against the fire nation alone."

For the first time since her stuttering admission, Yagoda spoke. "Your grace, look!" She pointed to the window that faced the southwest.

A light silver-blue and shone as a beam into the room. A figure appeared, suddenly beside Yuri. The figure was a mere silhouette of light, but the shape was almost just like Yuri's. Suddenly, the light fused with Yuri's body, and she felt a cool embrace, and all around her the word "Sister" echoed. In that moment, the girl knew the love and the person Yue was, and how even though they had never met, there was no mistaking the closeness of the two girls.

"My sister." A beautiful voice rang out on the light. "You carry a great burden, besides the one of your birth. But you are needed here, and soon you will be needed elsewhere. I give you the gift of the Moon, so you may command more than just the dark curse you have had laid upon you, and you will know more love than anger that your magic brings."

"Yue." The girl whispered, tears in her eyes. "Do you truly mean it? I can waterbend properly now? I don't have to bloodbend anymore?"

The light shone brighter. "Yes. You can now command all water, but you must learn how to use this power properly, and find a better way to use your original powers. And when the Avatar defeats the Fire Lord, you must return to Kyoshi Island and give a message to your friend Suki."

"What message?" Yuri asked curiously.

The light began to fade. "Tell her to take care of him, and of you." The light faded slowly, and Yuri collapsed. She hadn't realized that the Moon's strength had kept her standing this whole time, since she hadn't had any rest or anything to eat since the night before.

"Someone take me to a bed. She needs rest and food, now!" Yuri felt Kalen left her and saw in her already fading vision Setto's shocked and afraid face. Her father looked as if he'd seen a ghost, which he probably had. He made orders for the Princess Yuri to be taken to the royal suites and brought food. Then Kalen began to walk and the movement made her completely black out.

A few minutes later she awoke to the sharp scent of smelling salts that Yagoda had near her face. "Where am I?" The girl asked, looking around at the richly decorated room and clutching thick, soft wool in her hands.

"This was my daughter's room. Your sister Yue." A male's voice came from the doorway. The chief shook his head. "I cannot deny you after what was seen here tonight. This is your room now, I will have your women put together a proper wardrobe for you, and you will have a proper dress for your introduction to the Water Tribe tomorrow."

"Where are Kalen and Setto?" Yuri asked, much more concerned with the two than her acceptance into the royal family.

"They are in the Guardian's suite next door. If you need them for anything you may call out and they will be here." Then the man did something unexpected. He rushed over to the bed and hugged Yuri. "I saw Yue again, and I know you are her sister. I thank you for that. I didn't—" he choked on tears and then cleared his throat and pulled away to stare into her eyes. "I didn't think I would be able to live with the loss of all my family."

She embraced him back, allowing him to run his hands through her hair. "I never had any family but Hanna, I'm so glad I could meet you, and that you can accept me Father. I wanted you to know me so much."

When he finally left Yuri saw the dinner beside her bed and dug in savagely. Everything was delicious, and not a bit cold from being left alone for a while.

Six weeks later:

Yuri sat at dinner with her father, completely silent as it always started. It took a while for them to decide what to say, and tonight there was quite a bit to talk about.

"Father, I was wondering—" She began, and stopped. Was it appropriate to bring up politics now? The only time they had ever spoken like that was when Yuri told him she wouldn't be forced to marry is she couldn't choose her own husband, and the other minor things concerning protection of the city from Fire Nation attacks. They had never spoken about the events going on in other parts of the world. It was Kalen and Suka that had asked the Chief for help at Kyoshi Island, and it had been a group of merchants that had brought the news of the Avatar's second return and victory over Fire Lord Ozai.

"What is it, Yuri?" Her father asked, taking a large bite of steak. "Is there anything you want?" He added after swallowing.

Yuri blushed slightly and looked down at her plate. "Well, the city is safe now, and the Avatar and the new Fire Lord are working together to rebuild the Earth Kingdom. So I was just curious, I don't know the condition of Kyoshi Island after our troops were sent back. I am curious about my old home—"

"And you miss your friend Suki." He finished for her. "I had heard she was alive and well, and her return with her Warriors was an excited one."

"I want to return to Kyoshi Island. Only temporarily of course, but I want to see her."

"I'll have a ship ready for you in the morning."

A flush of relief and joy flowed through Yuri and she couldn't help but grin. "Thank you, Father."

The boat floated slowly into the dock, too slowly for Yuri's patience. She jumped off, stripping down to the silk dress under her kimono and used waterbending to carry her without getting wet onto the beach. The reason for her hasty approach stood on the beach facing away from her, dressed in a pretty dress beside a boy she didn't recognize. Hesitant to call out to Suki, she followed the two as the walked near a small cabin right near the beach. She came very near and was about to speak when the boy turned around and noticed her.

His eyes went wide, and his face turned pale as the sand. The horror was mixed with something else Yuri couldn't decipher and his voice shook as he said the words that triggered an immediately impolite response. She slammed him against the wall of the cabin, pulling an ice-crystal dagger to his throat.

"Who are you and how do you know my Sister?" She hissed angrily.

"Y-you're not Yue?" was all the boy could stutter.

Suddenly Yuri's friend was on her, pulling her off the boy roughly. "Yuri, get off of him, he's a friend!"

That was how Yuri met Suki's new fiancée, and her sister's ex-boyfriend.

**COMING UP NEXT: AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER-BOOK FOUR; AIR**


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